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squids_can_read's reviews
689 reviews
Belly of the Beast: Sorce Book 1 by Charles Armstrong
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
I really wanted to understand this book. I thought the world was really interesting, especially with the mix of fantasy and science fiction. The characters were also really interesting and I loved the broad array of characters shown in the story. I think this book just fell flat for me.
Starting with the world, I don’t think that I really understand how this world works. Every time that I thought that I understood where everything stood in this universe, something else would come up and be immediately(almost) by the characters in the book. However, every time that this happened, I felt like I was being left behind in the book. There was never really enough time for the reader to catch up with all of the information being given.
I also really didn’t understand the magic system. It just didn’t make any sense to me. I didn’t understand how hand gestures were required for some magic and not for others. I also didn’t understand why there were so many different types of magic being described. I’m sure that some of them overlap but the book describes them as all different so there end up being more than 10(as far as I remember) distinct magic systems which all do different things.
Additionally, I overall didn’t understand the OmniSync. I couldn’t tell what it was supposed to do or how it was supposed to work. It was just overall really confusing especially when the characters were told that people could look through their OmniSyncs but we only saw this happen once in the book. It just felt like it should have happened more with how much it was discussed.
Finally, I felt like the characters were a little lacking. This book is told in the third person but from the point of view of Sera. There are things that she learns that she just immediately accepts. She never seems weary of people helping her which doesn’t always make sense with the experiences that she has on the page. There are also times when Sera does things that are not on the page. When we learn about these things, Sera is able to continue without processing because she already knows about them but the reader does not. We are left with almost no time to process new information before more new information is introduced. There is also a lot of plot points packed into this novel, which I think contributed to the fact that I felt left behind while reading.
Overall, I thought that this was an extremely inventive novel. The mix of fantasy and science was intriguing and the characters' design and development were really interesting. In the copy that I read, there were also illustrations that were beautifully drawn and I think helped my understanding of the story. I just think that this book could have been less packed with plot points, the world a little better described, and time added for the reader to process all the new information.
Starting with the world, I don’t think that I really understand how this world works. Every time that I thought that I understood where everything stood in this universe, something else would come up and be immediately(almost) by the characters in the book. However, every time that this happened, I felt like I was being left behind in the book. There was never really enough time for the reader to catch up with all of the information being given.
I also really didn’t understand the magic system. It just didn’t make any sense to me. I didn’t understand how hand gestures were required for some magic and not for others. I also didn’t understand why there were so many different types of magic being described. I’m sure that some of them overlap but the book describes them as all different so there end up being more than 10(as far as I remember) distinct magic systems which all do different things.
Additionally, I overall didn’t understand the OmniSync. I couldn’t tell what it was supposed to do or how it was supposed to work. It was just overall really confusing especially when the characters were told that people could look through their OmniSyncs but we only saw this happen once in the book. It just felt like it should have happened more with how much it was discussed.
Finally, I felt like the characters were a little lacking. This book is told in the third person but from the point of view of Sera. There are things that she learns that she just immediately accepts. She never seems weary of people helping her which doesn’t always make sense with the experiences that she has on the page. There are also times when Sera does things that are not on the page. When we learn about these things, Sera is able to continue without processing because she already knows about them but the reader does not. We are left with almost no time to process new information before more new information is introduced. There is also a lot of plot points packed into this novel, which I think contributed to the fact that I felt left behind while reading.
Overall, I thought that this was an extremely inventive novel. The mix of fantasy and science was intriguing and the characters' design and development were really interesting. In the copy that I read, there were also illustrations that were beautifully drawn and I think helped my understanding of the story. I just think that this book could have been less packed with plot points, the world a little better described, and time added for the reader to process all the new information.
The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus by Emma Knight
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Thank you Penguin Random House for the ARC.
It’s a little hard to describe what this book was actually about. The plot was hard to follow because there were so many different plot lines. I thinks that’s why there were so many plot holes. Plot lines were dropped or completed weirdly, especially since the book is only 300 pages.
The characters, I have mixed feelings about. I liked them overall. I liked them at the beginning and mostly through the book. However none of the characters really grew through out the book. I will say that they changed, not necessarily in bad ways, however the characters aren’t developed on page. Most of the characters just suddenly decide to change without a whole lot of thought or development behind it. I also felt like so many important parts of the characters were glossed over because there were so many characters(10+) and so little pages. I was just disappointed in the characters development.
I also thought that the title of the book didn’t really make sense. It is a reference to a single line in the book brought up in the last 50 pages of the book. I just thought that the metaphor should have been used throughout the book instead of just at the end because it doesn’t make sense for them all to suddenly start talking about it. I also didn’t love the metaphor overall.
Finally, I thought the themes of the book were a little heavy handed. I thought the themes/messages were important and well thought out. However, all of these themes/messages are just told to the reader instead of letting the characters(and readers) figure them out for themselves. I just was a little disappointed in how showy this book was.
P.S. I will mention that I do not typically read realistic fiction, especially with these themes. So my review may be colored by that slightly.
It’s a little hard to describe what this book was actually about. The plot was hard to follow because there were so many different plot lines. I thinks that’s why there were so many plot holes. Plot lines were dropped or completed weirdly, especially since the book is only 300 pages.
The characters, I have mixed feelings about. I liked them overall. I liked them at the beginning and mostly through the book. However none of the characters really grew through out the book. I will say that they changed, not necessarily in bad ways, however the characters aren’t developed on page. Most of the characters just suddenly decide to change without a whole lot of thought or development behind it. I also felt like so many important parts of the characters were glossed over because there were so many characters(10+) and so little pages. I was just disappointed in the characters development.
I also thought that the title of the book didn’t really make sense. It is a reference to a single line in the book brought up in the last 50 pages of the book. I just thought that the metaphor should have been used throughout the book instead of just at the end because it doesn’t make sense for them all to suddenly start talking about it. I also didn’t love the metaphor overall.
Finally, I thought the themes of the book were a little heavy handed. I thought the themes/messages were important and well thought out. However, all of these themes/messages are just told to the reader instead of letting the characters(and readers) figure them out for themselves. I just was a little disappointed in how showy this book was.
P.S. I will mention that I do not typically read realistic fiction, especially with these themes. So my review may be colored by that slightly.
What Feasts at Night by T. Kingfisher
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
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? It's complicated
5.0
The exciting sequel to What Moves the Dead. Alex is back home after ka’s frightful visit to the Usher House. But now ka has to deal with the idea that maybe some of the folk stories that pervade ka’s home may be real.
This was a delightful sequel. The characters were still wonderful, snarky, and believable. The plot was super interesting and I couldn’t wait to see where it went. This world is super interesting and I absolutely can't wait to see more of this universe.
Absolutely recommend if you like horror and a really interesting world.
This was a delightful sequel. The characters were still wonderful, snarky, and believable. The plot was super interesting and I couldn’t wait to see where it went. This world is super interesting and I absolutely can't wait to see more of this universe.
Absolutely recommend if you like horror and a really interesting world.
Masters of Death by Olivie Blake
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
tense
slow-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
4.75
Viola is a vampire. She wasn’t born one and she didn’t ask to be made into one but never the less she is one. However, being a vampire in the human world means that she has to have a job to live. And that job just happens to be a real estate agent trying to sell a haunted house. The only problem, she can’t get rid of the ghost.
Fox is the godson of Death. A mere mortal, so he has been told many times. Currently, employed as a medium and is more interested in exploring his clients then exploring the nature of what happens after death.
When Viola hires Fox to take care of her ghost problem, a set of events starts pulling an eclectic group of people and creatures alike to save death.
This book was really almost perfect in my opinion. The characters were really interesting and creatively written. The plot was interesting and I was hanging on the edge of my seat to see what was going to happen. The world was also really interesting, I’d love to read more in this world. There were just certain things that I didn’t totally understand at the end of the book and I though that “the game” really wasn’t described in a way that made sense. This is explained away by the readers being mortal but, I really wanted to know how it works.
Anyway, if you love intricate fantasy that deals that themes of mortality and immortality, give this a read.
Fox is the godson of Death. A mere mortal, so he has been told many times. Currently, employed as a medium and is more interested in exploring his clients then exploring the nature of what happens after death.
When Viola hires Fox to take care of her ghost problem, a set of events starts pulling an eclectic group of people and creatures alike to save death.
This book was really almost perfect in my opinion. The characters were really interesting and creatively written. The plot was interesting and I was hanging on the edge of my seat to see what was going to happen. The world was also really interesting, I’d love to read more in this world. There were just certain things that I didn’t totally understand at the end of the book and I though that “the game” really wasn’t described in a way that made sense. This is explained away by the readers being mortal but, I really wanted to know how it works.
Anyway, if you love intricate fantasy that deals that themes of mortality and immortality, give this a read.
The Butterfly Disjunct: And Other Stories by Stewart C Baker
dark
emotional
funny
3.0
This is a collection of somewhat interconnected science fiction short stories, many of which take place in a dystopian landscape.
I thought that the characters were the shining stars of this short story collection. Each character felt complex but easy to understand. I wanted to know more about each of the characters and their stories.
I do think that some of the stories were a little difficult to understand, especially with how short they were. Additionally, I thought that some just didn’t fit the theme of the book.
However, I overall enjoyed this short story collection.
I thought that the characters were the shining stars of this short story collection. Each character felt complex but easy to understand. I wanted to know more about each of the characters and their stories.
I do think that some of the stories were a little difficult to understand, especially with how short they were. Additionally, I thought that some just didn’t fit the theme of the book.
However, I overall enjoyed this short story collection.
The Wind on Her Tongue by Anita Kopacz
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Thank you Atria/Black Privilege Publishing for the ARC.
Oya has experienced a devastating travesty, one that she couldn’t deal with in her home in Cuba. So her mother sends her to New Orleans to a Voodoo Queen. Oya is thrust into a place where she doesn’t know the rules and her powers are out of her control.
I really think the characters in this book really shined. They were all very well written and I loved their personalities. I did think that some of them got over some trauma or difficulties extremely quickly but I didn’t think that it detracted from the characters. I really fell in love with them and I wanted to know so much more about them all.
I do think that this book actually suffered a little by being so short. There were parts of the story that seemed to just be told to the reader in order to get to the next point, including travel sequences or time between important events. It made the passage of time extremely difficult to follow. Additionally, the reader didn’t get to see all of the character development of characters. This made some of the character's development hard to follow and hard to believe.
Overall, I think that the characters and the talk of religion was extremely interesting but I think that some important development is missed.
Oya has experienced a devastating travesty, one that she couldn’t deal with in her home in Cuba. So her mother sends her to New Orleans to a Voodoo Queen. Oya is thrust into a place where she doesn’t know the rules and her powers are out of her control.
I really think the characters in this book really shined. They were all very well written and I loved their personalities. I did think that some of them got over some trauma or difficulties extremely quickly but I didn’t think that it detracted from the characters. I really fell in love with them and I wanted to know so much more about them all.
I do think that this book actually suffered a little by being so short. There were parts of the story that seemed to just be told to the reader in order to get to the next point, including travel sequences or time between important events. It made the passage of time extremely difficult to follow. Additionally, the reader didn’t get to see all of the character development of characters. This made some of the character's development hard to follow and hard to believe.
Overall, I think that the characters and the talk of religion was extremely interesting but I think that some important development is missed.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Miscarriage
The Eater of Flies by Richard Gadz
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Dracula is a creature of the night feeding on unsuspecting people, thriving on the blood of the innocent. But what if Dracula was a spirit rather than a creature? And what if he wasn’t alone?
The characters in this book were good and well-rounded. Their motivations and actions made sense with how the author wrote them. However, I feel like the characters were not the main focus of this novel. Especially since certain characters had names that were in the original Dracula but their characters were completely different. I didn’t totally like that because it made the book feel like it was trying to be different from the source material.
The overall plot of the book was both similar and different from the source material. Into the second part of the book, when it deviated greatly from the original Dracula, I thought that the book was really great. However, the beginning of the book seemed like the author was trying to rush through the events to get to what they really wanted to write. I wish that the author would have just taken inspiration from Dracula rather than trying to rewrite it in a new way.
I really enjoyed the book once I separated it from the source material. If you are looking for a really interesting vampire book, this is it. However, if you are looking for a Dracula retelling, I think that this book slightly misses the mark.
The characters in this book were good and well-rounded. Their motivations and actions made sense with how the author wrote them. However, I feel like the characters were not the main focus of this novel. Especially since certain characters had names that were in the original Dracula but their characters were completely different. I didn’t totally like that because it made the book feel like it was trying to be different from the source material.
The overall plot of the book was both similar and different from the source material. Into the second part of the book, when it deviated greatly from the original Dracula, I thought that the book was really great. However, the beginning of the book seemed like the author was trying to rush through the events to get to what they really wanted to write. I wish that the author would have just taken inspiration from Dracula rather than trying to rewrite it in a new way.
I really enjoyed the book once I separated it from the source material. If you are looking for a really interesting vampire book, this is it. However, if you are looking for a Dracula retelling, I think that this book slightly misses the mark.