taliskerdarling's reviews
14 reviews

Fallen Stars by Imani Erriu

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious 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? N/A

5.0

This world is incredibly rich and immersive. The characters have continued strong development and there are hints of even more of that to come in subsequent books. 

The found family aspect of this book is my favorite part about this series. The bond the characters form and their deep love and respect for one another is such a joy to read. 

Devourer of Men by Nikki St. Crowe

adventurous dark funny mysterious fast-paced

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

4.5

This was a very quick read once I got going. I loved the relationship development between Roc and Hook. I laughed quite a bit while reading.

I hope we find out more about Wendy and Asha in the next one!

The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien

adventurous challenging slow-paced

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

4.5

Tolkien is a master storyteller and an epic world builder. Andy Serkis was a phenomenal narrator and helped keep me engaged with the story. 

Heavy is the Crown by JA George

challenging dark emotional inspiring sad 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? N/A

5.0

Simply put, I am blown away by Heavy is the Crown. JA George continues to represent mental health in a very raw and real way with her characters.  I knew I loved Shadow in Gothic Grove, but after reading HITC I just want to cuddle him and give him all the love.  Getting to know Drago and Ava more in depth was such a joy to read and the character development in this book is very well thought out and well written.

On the technical side of the review, JA George has really grown in her writing.  Gothic Grove was well written, but the growth she has shown as an author and how well she was able to enable me to paint even better scenes in my mind in this book has been such a treat to be a part of.  The feeling of this book was different for me and that could be because I could relate to the main characters on a deeper level in HITC. I really wasn't sure if I would love HITC as much as Gothic Grove, but I ended up loving it even more and it is all because of the way JA George wrote Shadow.

Through The Wicked Wood by Kristen R. Moore

adventurous emotional funny inspiring tense slow-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? N/A

5.0

Absolutely loved this book. Robin Hood has always been one of my favorite stories and having it themed with PNW vibes was perfect. The mental health rep in the book is incredible and to see Elora work through the intrusive thoughts was beautiful and I can’t wait to see how she continues to do that in the next book. 

Sorin is cheeky and full of sunshine and mischief. Sam is badass and I hope we get to see more of her.

Best Frenemies by Max Monroe

adventurous funny lighthearted fast-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? Yes

4.0

I listened to the audiobook and it was very enjoyable. Both narrators did a great job. The story itself was very funny, I loved the banter between the main characters, and how sweet Mack is. The chemistry between the characters was top notch and it was a fast paced read. I recommend if you’re looking for a quick lighthearted read that will make you laugh out loud.

Honey by Mariel Pomeroy

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny sad 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

Fire and Ash by Sara Cate

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense fast-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

Super quick spicy read. Thomas was very lovable and very respectful of Pax’s boundaries while also making sure he let Pax know he could be safe with him. Pax’s pushback was understandable but seeing him let his walls down was beautiful to see.

Burn for Me by Sara Cate

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

This was a really quick read and very enjoyable for a bully romance. It was fast paced and I liked both main characters a lot. Sara Cate knows how to write spice. 

Nausea by Jean-Paul Sartre

challenging reflective slow-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

5.0