strawhat_kd's reviews
56 reviews

funny lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I was not expecting to love Yours Truly the way that I did, but I immediately went and got the paperback and digital editions after I finished reading. This was the perfect romantic comedy. You have two leads who are both great people. The build up of their romance feels earned and there's just the right amount of drama where you aren't put off from the characters or the plot. Briana (the FMC), is hilarious. Although, she is dealing with some personal issues, she is smart, she is hilarious, she breathes life in to the book and in to Jacob as well. This book alone has made me a fan of Abby Jimenez and I can't wait to check more of her works.

Children of Virtue and Vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

I loved Children of Blood and Bone. I loved Children of Virtue and Vengeance just as much. They are very different tonally. Children and Blood was a cat-and-mouse chase meets a race against the clock to return magic before it's lost forever book. This book deals with the consequences of the characters returning magic back. Relationships deepen. We meet new characters and new forces of opposition arise to challenge the maji's pursuit of peace. Once again, we read this book from different perspectives and it is just as successful this time around. Because of the stakes, the different POVs makes you question who is wrong and who is right throughout the book. I know my thoughts changed with each chapter. I loved the continued growth of the characters. The new characters introduced in this book are fantastic additions to the cast, and returning characters have significant impact. I cannot wait for book 3 to release shortly.

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Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

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adventurous emotional inspiring tense fast-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

4.75

Tomi Adeyemi came out the gate swinging with Children of Blood and Bone. The book reads like a blockbuster movie in the best way possible. The scenes are detailed to bring you in to what's going on, but they are fast moving so even though a lot is happening you process what just happened after the scene ends. You get three different points of view and each one is just as engaging as the last and helps propel the story forward. Although, I liked the different perspectives, one of the characters I wasn't too fond of. Not because I didn't like them, but because I couldn't trust their motives. The pacing mixed with the different perspectives made this an engaging read. The synopsis tells you what you need to know, but if you are looking for an action packed book, filled with emotion, this is the book for you.

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They Can't Kill Us Until They Kill Us by Hanif Abdurraqib

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emotional informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

5.0

I was blown away by Hanif's writing throughout the book. There was so many times I had no clue where Hanif was leading us to, but was blown away by the destination when we arrived. He speaks of varying topics and events that occurred in 2016, both personal and public, and how they have impacted him. It's hard to put into words what to expect in this book, because he does such a masterful job throughout each of these individual essays. I feel like I would cheapen the experience trying to put things into my own voice, when his works perfectly. I couldn't put the book down and now I'm looking forward to reading the rest of his works.

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The Fires of Vengeance by Evan Winter

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adventurous dark tense 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

The book picks up almost immediately after the ending of The Rage of Dragons and from the point forward it refuses to let it's foot off of your neck. It reminds me a good television or movie that has a stronger second season/film. You see relationships form and grow. The stakes are even higher than book 1 and reaches an eventual fever pitch at the close of this book. Evan Winters does a great job of writing detailed action sequences. Sometimes I could see Tau was clearly in control of a battle. Other times, I was wondering how bad the damage was going to be to Tau or those in his company. There are so many jaw dropping events that I was scrambling to find a free moment to read so I could see what was going to happen next. I'm looking forward to book 3, whenever that may drop. Hopefully, it's sooner than later.

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The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter

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adventurous dark 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

The Rage of Dragons is incredible. From the first page to the last I found myself wanting to come back to this world and find out what's going to happen next. The world building is incredible. You understand the stakes of what's going on in this world and regardless of what's going on in the story, the looming threat is always a factor. The battles...the way Evan puts words together to describe the battles is surreal. There's one passage where he describes the sound of a weapon hitting a helmet and I could imagine it allas if I was right there. The main character, Tau, a beast. Every battle he gets in is as engaging as the next. Around Chapter 6 and 7, the book hits another gear and I was unable to stop reading. I finished the second half of the book in a few short hours. The chapters are broken down into smaller digestible chunks which made it easier to get through the longer chapters, especially in the beginning. There 's twists, betrayals, demons, dragons and so much more all set in a South African inspired fantasy world.

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Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang

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adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

This is the first book of M.L. Wang's that I have read and now I'm excited to read The Sword of Kaigen, which I've heard is phenomenal as well. I had heard good things about this book, but nothing more than a few details here and there. The way everything is laid in the story is well thought out and you find yourself drawn into the world instantly. Sciona is our main character and we experience her journey to become the first female mage in a society that uses magic to basically provide power to the city. Her and her peers have been charged with expanding a barricade that protects the city from The Blight, a mysterious anomaly that utterly destroys anything it touches. M.L. Wang's writing style pulls you in from the beginning. The magic system was easy to understand and plays in a major part in the plot. The FMC is amazing, even with her flaws and shortcomings and she finds a colleague from an unexpected source. I could write more in detail, but I'd be venturing into spoiler territory, and this is the type of book that you should experience yourself with minimal insight to the experience. I highly recommend reading for yourself. It's a great read, with no slow parts at all, even in the exposition and explanation of the world and it's structure.

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Anxious People by Fredrik Backman

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funny inspiring lighthearted 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? It's complicated

4.5

Anxious people drew me in from the first few pages with Fredrik Bachman's writing choice. The book jumps you around through different perspectives of each character, peeling back layer after layer until you uncover a really endearing story. Every one has their own motivations for being at an apartment showing when a bank robber storms in and holds everyone hostage. Over the course of the book, you learn about each character. I enjoyed the fact, that in the early stages of the book, a large portion of the characters are unlikable. But, by the end, you end up loving most, if not all the characters. This was the perfect read for me after finishing books with heavier topics. A palate cleanser if you will. It was funny, it was moving and was a feel good read for me. Some of the events are little unbelievable, but they don't take away from the heart of the story.

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You'll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey: Crazy Stories about Racism by Lacey Lamar, Amber Ruffin

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funny hopeful informative reflective fast-paced

4.25

The title of the book tells you everything you need to know. This is a book about racism. There's all sorts of flavors of racism too. The thing that makes this book an easy read, for me at least, is the book is presented in a way that you're dealing with some heavy topics, but it's still funny at times to see how ridiculous some people can be at times. I recommend reading this if you are sure that you can handle the topics at hand with an open mind and a sense of humor.

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Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah

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emotional funny inspiring lighthearted reflective fast-paced

4.75

What a great read. I picked it up and could not put it down. I learned so much more about the apartheid and what it was like living during those times. How he and is mother survived is nothing short of a blessing. He tells his story in such an entertaining way that I literally was having fits of laughter reading. There's two stories in particular, that I thought were absolutely hilarious, but I won't ruin it for you. Be warned, it does get heavy in spots, but the way he brings you out of those moments with a funny anecdote or quip that makes you forget you were reading heavy material a few miutes before.

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strawhat_kd's reviews 56 reviews

strawhat_kd's reviews
56 reviews