Take a photo of a barcode or cover
sterling8's reviews
2143 reviews
Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
I was excited to read this one because I love portal fantasies but I bounced off this one hard at a bit more than 10%.
The tone of this book was weird and inconsistent. We head-hopped from Rae to her maidservant Emer without much warning and the POV was just strange. Rae, who had agreed to become a character in a book that her sister loved, found herself in the story on the day before her character was to be executed. Rae doesn't really remember too many details about this book except the execution. She does a very weird job of bonding with her guard and (sort of) her maid.
Emer, her maid, thinks that her mistress is being weird and also stupid. She's asking for blood oaths that are never done, she's showing all sorts of emotion which she normally would never do, she's openly talking about being evil and wanting her and the guard for her minions. It's just strange.
I also couldn't understand anything Rae was doing. I had no idea about how the rules for this setting go, couldn't figure out why her guard was putting up with her nonsense, and Rae seemed to be rather flippant and silly for someone who could be dead tomorrow if they didn't make a good plan.
So, the tone was weird, the characters didn't act in ways I understood and it all felt more like a joke than a story. I was disappointed.
The tone of this book was weird and inconsistent. We head-hopped from Rae to her maidservant Emer without much warning and the POV was just strange. Rae, who had agreed to become a character in a book that her sister loved, found herself in the story on the day before her character was to be executed. Rae doesn't really remember too many details about this book except the execution. She does a very weird job of bonding with her guard and (sort of) her maid.
Emer, her maid, thinks that her mistress is being weird and also stupid. She's asking for blood oaths that are never done, she's showing all sorts of emotion which she normally would never do, she's openly talking about being evil and wanting her and the guard for her minions. It's just strange.
I also couldn't understand anything Rae was doing. I had no idea about how the rules for this setting go, couldn't figure out why her guard was putting up with her nonsense, and Rae seemed to be rather flippant and silly for someone who could be dead tomorrow if they didn't make a good plan.
So, the tone was weird, the characters didn't act in ways I understood and it all felt more like a joke than a story. I was disappointed.
The Silent Tower by Barbara Hambly
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
I'm probably rating this book a bit on the high side, due to my nostalgia and fondness for Barbara Hambly as an author. I originally read these books back the 80's and 90's, when they were far more groundbreaking in how they played with tropes.
This is basically a portal fantasy. Joanna, a Silicon Valley programmer with an annoying situationship, ends up falling into a world in which magic works. She travels through this world with Antryg Windrose, a mage who should be imprisoned but who has managed to escape his jailors, and Caris, a young man who has devoted himself to being a warrior who protects the mages of this world. Joanna adjusts remarkably well to her world walking. She knows that she needs Antryg to get back to her own world but ends up carried along into the intrigue and politics of the world she is in.
There's a BBEG who is hidden but who isn't difficult for the reader to suss out. There isn't actually a lot of magic, since Antryg can't cast much for fear of being spotted by mage hunters. There's some romance which I had a bit less patience for this time around.
There's also some homophobia and a character who embodies the nasty stereotype of the "twisted homosexual who likes to hurt others and finds it erotic." The word "pervert" is used to describe this character, and it's weird for me to read about because Hambly tends to push diversity and acceptance in most of her books. She tries to redeem this character a bit but I still found it yucky.
I reread this book because I was looking for something familiar and comforting. I don't know how well this one stands the test of time, and I don't think I'm going to continue with a reread.
This is basically a portal fantasy. Joanna, a Silicon Valley programmer with an annoying situationship, ends up falling into a world in which magic works. She travels through this world with Antryg Windrose, a mage who should be imprisoned but who has managed to escape his jailors, and Caris, a young man who has devoted himself to being a warrior who protects the mages of this world. Joanna adjusts remarkably well to her world walking. She knows that she needs Antryg to get back to her own world but ends up carried along into the intrigue and politics of the world she is in.
There's a BBEG who is hidden but who isn't difficult for the reader to suss out. There isn't actually a lot of magic, since Antryg can't cast much for fear of being spotted by mage hunters. There's some romance which I had a bit less patience for this time around.
There's also some homophobia and a character who embodies the nasty stereotype of the "twisted homosexual who likes to hurt others and finds it erotic." The word "pervert" is used to describe this character, and it's weird for me to read about because Hambly tends to push diversity and acceptance in most of her books. She tries to redeem this character a bit but I still found it yucky.
I reread this book because I was looking for something familiar and comforting. I don't know how well this one stands the test of time, and I don't think I'm going to continue with a reread.
Dreamhearth by M.C.A. Hogarth
hopeful
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This is one of those books that you read when you want cozy vibes. Nothing really bad happens, it's very slice of life, except with aliens/furry people.
In this book, Jahir and Vasiht'h have decided to start their dream healing practice on a space station. This station strictly limits its population and although Jahir is accepted by the station immediately, Vasiht'h must prove that he can contribute to the station within six months or he will be asked to move on. Vasiht'h has a lot of angst about this. He's angsty in general, and we spend most of the book in his head. I don't really like him nearly as much as I like Jahir, so I got tired of his anxious thought patterns.
The station has wonderful restaurants, designed beauty, and our heroes soon begin to make some friends and gather some clients. These clients have issues that resolve a bit too neatly in some cases. There's also a therapist on the station who believes that their dream healing is unethical. He could have been an interesting antagonist but as the story develops, he just sort of calms down.
Basically, read this book for the soothing descriptions of food, setting, and peaceful character interactions. I don't think this one was my favorite because everything was so low key, but if you're looking for cozy and comforting this will definitely fill the bill.
In this book, Jahir and Vasiht'h have decided to start their dream healing practice on a space station. This station strictly limits its population and although Jahir is accepted by the station immediately, Vasiht'h must prove that he can contribute to the station within six months or he will be asked to move on. Vasiht'h has a lot of angst about this. He's angsty in general, and we spend most of the book in his head. I don't really like him nearly as much as I like Jahir, so I got tired of his anxious thought patterns.
The station has wonderful restaurants, designed beauty, and our heroes soon begin to make some friends and gather some clients. These clients have issues that resolve a bit too neatly in some cases. There's also a therapist on the station who believes that their dream healing is unethical. He could have been an interesting antagonist but as the story develops, he just sort of calms down.
Basically, read this book for the soothing descriptions of food, setting, and peaceful character interactions. I don't think this one was my favorite because everything was so low key, but if you're looking for cozy and comforting this will definitely fill the bill.
The City in Glass by Nghi Vo
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
3.5 stars.
This book is all about the vibes. A demon, Vitrine, has her city destroyed by angels. Why? We never learn that. But Vitrine successfully curses one of the angels as they depart, and he becomes tied to her by the curse. He can't go home.
Azril, Vitrine's city, is described in loving detail. Vitrine has nurtured the city and its inhabitants and written their stories into the book that resides in the glass cabinet that is the heart of her. Alas, Azril has become a memory and only Vitrine can know how it truly was.
Vitrine spends the book clearing the rubble of her beloved city. She buries bones, shifts rock, clears fountains. The angel comes and goes but always returns, even if it takes decades.
A great deal of time passes, and the city begins to live again. The angel brings refugees to the ruined city and those refugees begin to create a new story of the city. Vitrine lives for the long game, so although she resents these newcomers at first, as they become part of the city she accepts them.
Meanwhile, the angel and Vitrine develop a relationship of sorts. It's abusive and resentful, but it grows.
I suppose this book is about healing and how difficult it is. It's about working through grief. It's about acceptance and love. It's written beautifully, as you would expect from this author. But although I could appreciate the beauty of the book, it never really got inside of me. I felt removed from Vitrine's pain and her pain was really the point of the book. That's why I'll rate it a 3.5.
This book is all about the vibes. A demon, Vitrine, has her city destroyed by angels. Why? We never learn that. But Vitrine successfully curses one of the angels as they depart, and he becomes tied to her by the curse. He can't go home.
Azril, Vitrine's city, is described in loving detail. Vitrine has nurtured the city and its inhabitants and written their stories into the book that resides in the glass cabinet that is the heart of her. Alas, Azril has become a memory and only Vitrine can know how it truly was.
Vitrine spends the book clearing the rubble of her beloved city. She buries bones, shifts rock, clears fountains. The angel comes and goes but always returns, even if it takes decades.
A great deal of time passes, and the city begins to live again. The angel brings refugees to the ruined city and those refugees begin to create a new story of the city. Vitrine lives for the long game, so although she resents these newcomers at first, as they become part of the city she accepts them.
Meanwhile, the angel and Vitrine develop a relationship of sorts. It's abusive and resentful, but it grows.
I suppose this book is about healing and how difficult it is. It's about working through grief. It's about acceptance and love. It's written beautifully, as you would expect from this author. But although I could appreciate the beauty of the book, it never really got inside of me. I felt removed from Vitrine's pain and her pain was really the point of the book. That's why I'll rate it a 3.5.
The Potency Of Ungovernable Impulses by Malka Older
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
My favorite thing about this book was the fact that we got to see a different side of the moon where Pleiti and Mossa live. Pleiti travels to the city where the Modernist scholars have their university. The city feels different and new.
Pleiti is asked by her fellow professors to help investigate who might be trying to sabotage a friend of theirs who is up for a promotion. Pleiti's biggest contribution to this is probably reading through the research of the various suspects and putting together basic personality profiles based on their research articles. Otherwise, I'm not sure she did much.
Meanwhile, Pleiti and Mossa have yet another of their misunderstandings that makes their relationship distant and awkward until they finally communicate with each other. This pattern is getting old, and I'm getting tired of it.
While I sort of enjoyed the politics and infighting among the various faculty members, I don't think that the mystery really played fair with figuring out the perpetrator, and I always am a bit dubious when academic rivalries come to violence. So, plus for the setting, minus for the characters and plot.
Pleiti is asked by her fellow professors to help investigate who might be trying to sabotage a friend of theirs who is up for a promotion. Pleiti's biggest contribution to this is probably reading through the research of the various suspects and putting together basic personality profiles based on their research articles. Otherwise, I'm not sure she did much.
Meanwhile, Pleiti and Mossa have yet another of their misunderstandings that makes their relationship distant and awkward until they finally communicate with each other. This pattern is getting old, and I'm getting tired of it.
While I sort of enjoyed the politics and infighting among the various faculty members, I don't think that the mystery really played fair with figuring out the perpetrator, and I always am a bit dubious when academic rivalries come to violence. So, plus for the setting, minus for the characters and plot.
Do Me a Favor by Cathy Yardley
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
I enjoyed this romance with 40 something protagonists. I'm more than over reading about 25 year old heroines and their romantic angst. It's nice to read about people who aren't a total mess and who can actually communicate.
I liked both Willa and Hudson. Willa is working on ghost-writing a cookbook and I always like reading about food and cooking. Hudson lives with his family on their farm and they have goats, honey, berries, all sorts of yummy things. I'd call this a cozy romance. There's not too much tension, no real forced drama or conflict, these are adult people trying to make the best decisions that they can for themselves and their loved ones. It's a relaxing read, and I'll look for more of the same by this author.
I liked both Willa and Hudson. Willa is working on ghost-writing a cookbook and I always like reading about food and cooking. Hudson lives with his family on their farm and they have goats, honey, berries, all sorts of yummy things. I'd call this a cozy romance. There's not too much tension, no real forced drama or conflict, these are adult people trying to make the best decisions that they can for themselves and their loved ones. It's a relaxing read, and I'll look for more of the same by this author.
The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
This book is beautifully written. I liked the idea of a slow transition from a more mundane world into a more magical one as the river flows. The author clearly loves to play with words. The idea of "grammar" as related to magic "grimoire", for example, was neat. But she didn't really do anything with her wordplay that mattered to the story.
The story itself wasn't much. It's a basic retelling of a fairy tale that might be familiar to you. I didn't get anything original from it, although again, it was prettily told.
This book seems to be all about the vibes and atmosphere, not the plot. YMMV.
The story itself wasn't much. It's a basic retelling of a fairy tale that might be familiar to you. I didn't get anything original from it, although again, it was prettily told.
This book seems to be all about the vibes and atmosphere, not the plot. YMMV.