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721 reviews
The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
Beautiful prose, gothic storytelling, and full of fairy tale/folklore/mythology references – of course this was going to be a five star from me. While it draws on many fairy tales, this story feels like an original fairy tale of its own and I was enchanted from the start.
Roshani Chokshi creates the perfect unsettling gothic fantasy atmosphere for this story that carefully walks the line of magical wonder and horrific dread. I especially loved that the House of Dreams felt like its own character. The gothic fairytale vibes expertly work to explore themes of abuse and self-identity in fascinating ways.
This story is told in two timelines with two different POVs – the Bridegroom (whose storyline has a slight "gender-bent Bluebeard retelling" feel) and Azure (whose storyline tells the tale of obsessive friendship) – and I enjoyed them both equally. The way they wove together in the end was unexpected but perfect and I loved it.
Roshani Chokshi creates the perfect unsettling gothic fantasy atmosphere for this story that carefully walks the line of magical wonder and horrific dread. I especially loved that the House of Dreams felt like its own character. The gothic fairytale vibes expertly work to explore themes of abuse and self-identity in fascinating ways.
This story is told in two timelines with two different POVs – the Bridegroom (whose storyline has a slight "gender-bent Bluebeard retelling" feel) and Azure (whose storyline tells the tale of obsessive friendship) – and I enjoyed them both equally. The way they wove together in the end was unexpected but perfect and I loved it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Child abuse, Pedophilia, Violence, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Eating disorder and Sexual content
To Die Beautiful by Buzzy Jackson
emotional
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
A compelling, suspenseful, and quite dark (but not completely hopeless) story of Hannie Schaft and the Dutch Resistance movement during WWII. I would absolutely recommend this to anyone who enjoys reading historical fiction because this is excellent (and accessible for readers who are intimidated by history).
I wasn't familiar with Hannie before reading and I'm so glad I now know her story (and the stories of Truus and Freddie Oversteegen). There are lots of wartime stories focused on the camaraderie between men who fight together and so I really enjoyed reading a war story with a heavy focus on the camaraderie between women.
I also really appreciated this book's Afterword which expands on the real history depicted in the novel as well as the Author's Note explaining the intentionality of certain storytelling choices. You can tell Buzzy Jackson did a significant amount of research and put in the effort to make sure this story was told with care.
I wasn't familiar with Hannie before reading and I'm so glad I now know her story (and the stories of Truus and Freddie Oversteegen). There are lots of wartime stories focused on the camaraderie between men who fight together and so I really enjoyed reading a war story with a heavy focus on the camaraderie between women.
I also really appreciated this book's Afterword which expands on the real history depicted in the novel as well as the Author's Note explaining the intentionality of certain storytelling choices. You can tell Buzzy Jackson did a significant amount of research and put in the effort to make sure this story was told with care.
On the Way to the Wedding by Julia Quinn
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Had I known this would end up being one of my favorites (perhaps even my number one favorite) book in the series I would have read this sooner!
I loved Gregory being a hopeless romantic and how that contrasts with Lucy's practicality. It made for a great opposites-attract/friends to lovers dynamic that I feel progressed at just the right pace. I don't typically enjoy when one character in a romance starts out being strongly infatuated with someone else - but it worked for me here (I also loved how that part of the plot took place at a party hosted by Kate and Anthony - Lucy/Gregory/Hermione is a different situation than Kate/Anthony/Edwina since Lucy actually does try to set up Hermione with Gregory but I couldn't help comparing the two).
This book was also unexpectedly very angsty which I LOVED and made for what I feel are some of the most romantic moments in the whole series. The circumstances that led to the angst also led to a wildly dramatic ending - it was fun and suspenseful and the exact kind of "somewhat-over-the-top-yet-somehow-believable" drama I enjoy in romance novels.
Fingers crossed Netflix doesn't cancel the show before getting to this one because I need to see this story on screen.
I loved Gregory being a hopeless romantic and how that contrasts with Lucy's practicality. It made for a great opposites-attract/friends to lovers dynamic that I feel progressed at just the right pace. I don't typically enjoy when one character in a romance starts out being strongly infatuated with someone else - but it worked for me here (I also loved how that part of the plot took place at a party hosted by Kate and Anthony - Lucy/Gregory/Hermione is a different situation than Kate/Anthony/Edwina since Lucy actually does try to set up Hermione with Gregory but I couldn't help comparing the two).
This book was also unexpectedly very angsty which I LOVED and made for what I feel are some of the most romantic moments in the whole series. The circumstances that led to the angst also led to a wildly dramatic ending - it was fun and suspenseful and the exact kind of "somewhat-over-the-top-yet-somehow-believable" drama I enjoy in romance novels.
Fingers crossed Netflix doesn't cancel the show before getting to this one because I need to see this story on screen.
Mislaid in Parts Half-Known by Seanan McGuire
adventurous
emotional
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
4.25
Love this series, love these characters...I always have a great time with these novellas.
This works as an excellent follow up to both Lost in the Moment and Found and Where the Drowned Girls Go. Antsy in particular is one of my faves so I'm happy that this book continued with her story.
Selfishly I did wish that Regan was part of the questing group in this installment and I'm a bit sad that she wasn't as she's my fave but I'm hopeful we'll see more of her in the future. Evidently I'm slightly cursed to have my absolute favorite characters not be consistent major characters, as that has been the case with Nancy as well. Also would've loved a bit more time with the dinosaurs in this book!
This works as an excellent follow up to both Lost in the Moment and Found and Where the Drowned Girls Go. Antsy in particular is one of my faves so I'm happy that this book continued with her story.
Selfishly I did wish that Regan was part of the questing group in this installment and I'm a bit sad that she wasn't as she's my fave but I'm hopeful we'll see more of her in the future. Evidently I'm slightly cursed to have my absolute favorite characters not be consistent major characters, as that has been the case with Nancy as well. Also would've loved a bit more time with the dinosaurs in this book!
The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Solid start to the second era of Mistborn! This is a fun smaller-scale adventure and overall I enjoyed it but I wasn't as invested in the plot when compared to reading other Cosmere stories - mostly because this is a short book that is doing a lot of setup for the next three installments. The epilogue in particular has many elements that are making me excited for the next books.
I'm not quite attached to the characters yet, though I do like them. Wax and Wayne's banter was great (for the most part...Wayne's humor didn't always land for me), I enjoyed Marasi, and I really want to see more of Steris.
The worldbuilding was absolutely my favorite part - I didn't realize how much I missed Scadrial until reading this. I loved the Western/early 1900s feel, the exploration of new metals/abilities and how the events and characters of the original trilogy have become part of the world's mythology. All of the nods to previous characters made me happy (ex. Wax's new gun being named Vindication!!!) .
I'm not quite attached to the characters yet, though I do like them. Wax and Wayne's banter was great (for the most part...Wayne's humor didn't always land for me), I enjoyed Marasi, and I really want to see more of Steris.
The worldbuilding was absolutely my favorite part - I didn't realize how much I missed Scadrial until reading this. I loved the Western/early 1900s feel, the exploration of new metals/abilities and how the events and characters of the original trilogy have become part of the world's mythology. All of the nods to previous characters made me happy (
It's in His Kiss by Julia Quinn
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Definitely one of my favorite Bridgerton books (along with The Viscount Who Loved Me and When He Was Wicked)! Hyacinth and Gareth had excellent banter and the mystery/quest subplot was a lot of fun. I do wish their relationship had a little bit more of a slow burn but that's mostly just personal preference.
Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
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
4.5
This is one of the most fun reading experiences I've had all year. I always love stories involving a character who gets pulled into their favorite book and so naturally I fell in love with this one as well - especially because I think it's brilliantly executed. Upon finishing I wanted to immediately reread it and the wait for the next installment may kill me. The ending is exciting, unexpected, and satisfying (it's always fun when you develop a theory in between chapters and want it to happen because you think it'd be a great plot twist and it does, in fact, end up being a great plot twist).
Long Live Evil is chaotic and epic. It's a story that simultaneously pokes fun at classic high fantasy tropes and involves a lot of silly moments (including a musical number) but also takes itself seriously and involves a lot of high stakes (the last 3rd of this book in particular had me on the edge of my seat). In some ways I want to say the experience feels like what you would get if the movie Scream was a high fantasy novel? There's lots of self-referential humor and it feels like a love letter to the fantasy genre (and fandom) as a whole.
Sarah Rees Brennan employs standard fantasy tropes throughout this story and expertly deconstructs them (just as the protagonist, Rae, (un)intentionally ends up deconstructing the plot she's familiar with when she enters the story). This allows the story and characters to provide some interesting perspectives on what it means to be a hero/villain, the authorship of a story, and the agency/motivations characters (especially side characters) have within a story.
I really enjoyed the cast of characters and I especially loved Rae, our protagonist turned villainess. She's one of my favorite kinds of female protagonists - an angry girl willing to do anything to survive. The other main characters are fantastic too but I think it's best to not know much about them until you experience the story yourself (though if you want some teasers I recommend checking out the author's instagram which features some excellent character art/descriptions).
It's not a 100% perfect book - occasionally the contemporary dialogue/jokes don't land for me, there's a lot of infodumping moments that slow the pace down (particularly in the first third of the book), and some of the POV changes cause the story to lose momentum at times. Overall though I think Long Live Evil is an excellent start to a new portal/high fantasy series and definitely one of my favorite books of the year so far!
Long Live Evil is chaotic and epic. It's a story that simultaneously pokes fun at classic high fantasy tropes and involves a lot of silly moments (including a musical number) but also takes itself seriously and involves a lot of high stakes (the last 3rd of this book in particular had me on the edge of my seat). In some ways I want to say the experience feels like what you would get if the movie Scream was a high fantasy novel? There's lots of self-referential humor and it feels like a love letter to the fantasy genre (and fandom) as a whole.
Sarah Rees Brennan employs standard fantasy tropes throughout this story and expertly deconstructs them (just as the protagonist, Rae, (un)intentionally ends up deconstructing the plot she's familiar with when she enters the story). This allows the story and characters to provide some interesting perspectives on what it means to be a hero/villain, the authorship of a story, and the agency/motivations characters (especially side characters) have within a story.
I really enjoyed the cast of characters and I especially loved Rae, our protagonist turned villainess. She's one of my favorite kinds of female protagonists - an angry girl willing to do anything to survive. The other main characters are fantastic too but I think it's best to not know much about them until you experience the story yourself (though if you want some teasers I recommend checking out the author's instagram which features some excellent character art/descriptions).
It's not a 100% perfect book - occasionally the contemporary dialogue/jokes don't land for me, there's a lot of infodumping moments that slow the pace down (particularly in the first third of the book), and some of the POV changes cause the story to lose momentum at times. Overall though I think Long Live Evil is an excellent start to a new portal/high fantasy series and definitely one of my favorite books of the year so far!
All the Sinners Bleed by S.A. Cosby
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Such a fantastic dark and gritty crime novel. This is not my typical genre so I don't have much to compare it to but I would definitely recommend for anyone that enjoys dark crime thrillers (with quite a bit of violence).
This book has a beautiful writing style and I really enjoyed the protagonist. I loved the exploration of race (particularly the experience of a Black sheriff trying to change the state of policing within his small town - is it even possible?), white supremacy and Christian nationalism - it feels very relevant to the current sociopolitical climate of the United States.
The pacing in the middle didn't quite work for me which is why it's not quite a 5 star but I definitely intend to read more by this author! Also the audiobook narrator is fantastic.
This book has a beautiful writing style and I really enjoyed the protagonist. I loved the exploration of race (particularly the experience of a Black sheriff trying to change the state of policing within his small town - is it even possible?), white supremacy and Christian nationalism - it feels very relevant to the current sociopolitical climate of the United States.
The pacing in the middle didn't quite work for me which is why it's not quite a 5 star but I definitely intend to read more by this author! Also the audiobook narrator is fantastic.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Racism, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Child abuse, Pedophilia, and Mass/school shootings
Defy the Storm by Tessa Gratton, Justina Ireland
adventurous
emotional
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
I struggled a bit with the pacing/jumping between the multiple POVs in this story as the three main plotlines weren't super connected to each other but that being said this book was full of excellent character arcs and fascinating reveals. I'm super excited for both Temptation of the Force (the scene between Vernestra and Elzar at the end of the book sets up an interesting character dynamic ) and Tears of the Nameless(Reath and Azlin Rell!!!! ). It's a book that works well as both a sequel to Out of the Shadows and Mission to Disaster from Phase I as well as a YA opener to Phase III (while also expanding on what was already established in The Eye of Darkness.
Vernestra and Avon are by far my faves and so their storylines were by far my favorite (I especially loved Vernestra's grief journey) but I enjoyed seeing more of Jordanna, Xylan, and the always fun San Tekka vs Graf family rivalry as well - even if my investment in those storylines wasn't quite as strong. It was also nice to get some brief time with previous YA High Republic Characters - Sylvestri Yarrow, the crew of The Vessel, Nan, and Reath Silas.
The wait for the next High Republic book might kill me a bit but at least there's only a month to go?
Vernestra and Avon are by far my faves and so their storylines were by far my favorite (I especially loved Vernestra's grief journey) but I enjoyed seeing more of Jordanna, Xylan, and the always fun San Tekka vs Graf family rivalry as well - even if my investment in those storylines wasn't quite as strong. It was also nice to get some brief time with previous YA High Republic Characters - Sylvestri Yarrow, the crew of The Vessel, Nan, and Reath Silas.
The wait for the next High Republic book might kill me a bit but at least there's only a month to go?
Escape from Valo by Alyssa Wong, Daniel José Older
adventurous
emotional
funny
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
Yet another delightful middle grade adventure for the High Republic! Really enjoyed the found family aspect of the Scarlet Skulls, the discussions on what "attachment" really means for Jedi, a significant plot point being the "best friends to enemies" trope (the quote "I'm killing my best friend. Have some respect." had me screaming I loved it) , the connection to Phase II of The High Republic Adventures, and the always excellent diverse representation.
I think the story did a great job of getting me emotionally invested in all of new characters but since this is a short book I couldn't help but want a little more from each of their character arcs (though I'm sure we'll get it in the future).
In a surprising turn of events the antagonists stole the show for me in this one - I cannot wait to see where Driggit and Niv Drendow's storyline goes from here - I loved everything about the epilogue.
I think the story did a great job of getting me emotionally invested in all of new characters but since this is a short book I couldn't help but want a little more from each of their character arcs (though I'm sure we'll get it in the future).
In a surprising turn of events the antagonists stole the show for me in this one - I cannot wait to see where Driggit and Niv Drendow's storyline goes from here - I loved everything about the epilogue.