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targrhaegar's reviews
176 reviews
Edgedancer by Brandon Sanderson
adventurous
emotional
funny
informative
lighthearted
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? Yes
4.0
π₯ This was a fun story that added a lot of important context to The Stormlight Archive and it's a must read. Even though the main character, Lift, is a child -very playful, carefree and reckless-, this story is very serious and has its classics Sanderson epic and emotional moments.
π± I really love Lift, she's very funny and strong. I also love Wyndle! He's hilarious. Their dynamic is the best, because you have two polar opposite characters: a refined gentleman, such a Wyndle; and a crazy and wild child, such a Lift. So their interactions are always so much fun to read!
πI want justice for Wyndle! He deserves to live his best life as a gardener!!!
βοΈ Some major characters are mentioned and appear here, and it's very epic. The lore is expanded and we learn some important information. Making this book an overall interesting and fun read!
π± I really love Lift, she's very funny and strong. I also love Wyndle! He's hilarious. Their dynamic is the best, because you have two polar opposite characters: a refined gentleman, such a Wyndle; and a crazy and wild child, such a Lift. So their interactions are always so much fun to read!
πI want justice for Wyndle! He deserves to live his best life as a gardener!!!
βοΈ Some major characters are mentioned and appear here, and it's very epic. The lore is expanded and we learn some important information. Making this book an overall interesting and fun read!
The Reappearance of Rachel Price by Holly Jackson
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
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
5.0
π¬ This entire book was amazing from start to finish. I couldn't put it down and stay away from it for more than one minute. I needed to keep reading and reading. I really loved the premise and the way it was executed.
π€± It's difficult to review it without spoiling everything, so I'll write a short, vague, no spoiler review, and then talk about everything else in the spoiler section.
π©Έ As always, you can expect tons of plot twists from the very beginning. I was able to predict the biggest one thanks to all the clues that were being scattered throughout the story. However, this didn't take away from the excitement and tension.
π½ The characters in this one were... Interesting. Bel, as a main character, can be frustrating and annoying. She's very rude. I understand she has experienced a lot of trauma, but that doesn't justify treating people like trash.
π©° The Price family is also a bit annoying at times. There's one particular character that I LOVED. LOVED WITH MY ENTIRE HEART. And Yordan is amazing, I love him. The filming crew was meh, mostly because they don't say much. Only Ramsey and Ash were relevant. Even though he's greedy, I did love Ramsey. And of course, Ash is amazing and deserves everything in this world. The amount of patience he has in insane. I wouldn't be able to stand a minute talking to Bel. Hell no.
πΊ Many have pointed this out, but the writing gets repetitive. Bel was having a knot in her stomach every other paragraph. It was so repetitive that I was starting to have one in my stomach, too.
π On that note, this book is creepy and scary. I think Jackson did a great job with that. I read some chapters at 3:00 a.m., and boy, do I regret it. I was terrified.
π§ The resolution is a bit crazy. As you can expect from Jackson's books, it gets a unrealistic towards the end and you need to suspend your disbelief in order to enjoy it.
πͺ This is everything I can talk about without spoiling it, so let's get to the spoiler section:
π¬ I didn't trust Rachel at all at first. She scared me a lot. Until we learned that she was actually a victim and that she would do ANYTHING to protect her daughters. I loved her so much in that moment. That was until the ending came... Eh... Why would she make her daughters go through the traumatic experience of covering a murder? Weird. But I still love her a lot.
π€± Speaking of daughters, it's very convenient that Carter suddenly suspected that Sherry wasn't her real mom and decided to do a DNA test? Eh? How convenient and completely convincing.
π©Έ Surprise, surprise, Charlie was behind it all. I guessed it because he was starting to act extremely suspicious.
π½ On that note, why the hell was everyone acting like it was normal to took off and leave his underage daughter and wife, who spent 16 years kidnapped, alone? Even the cops were like: ''listen, kiddo, it's normal for an adult to want to leave his home and have some space? Eh, I guess???? It's definitely legal, I guess? But I don't think it's okay. Morally speaking. Also, the cop didn't even care about him getting a fake identity. That's definitely illegal.
π©° I'll think of more things to talk about later.
π€± It's difficult to review it without spoiling everything, so I'll write a short, vague, no spoiler review, and then talk about everything else in the spoiler section.
π©Έ As always, you can expect tons of plot twists from the very beginning. I was able to predict the biggest one thanks to all the clues that were being scattered throughout the story. However, this didn't take away from the excitement and tension.
π½ The characters in this one were... Interesting. Bel, as a main character, can be frustrating and annoying. She's very rude. I understand she has experienced a lot of trauma, but that doesn't justify treating people like trash.
π©° The Price family is also a bit annoying at times. There's one particular character that I LOVED. LOVED WITH MY ENTIRE HEART. And Yordan is amazing, I love him. The filming crew was meh, mostly because they don't say much. Only Ramsey and Ash were relevant. Even though he's greedy, I did love Ramsey. And of course, Ash is amazing and deserves everything in this world. The amount of patience he has in insane. I wouldn't be able to stand a minute talking to Bel. Hell no.
πΊ Many have pointed this out, but the writing gets repetitive. Bel was having a knot in her stomach every other paragraph. It was so repetitive that I was starting to have one in my stomach, too.
π On that note, this book is creepy and scary. I think Jackson did a great job with that. I read some chapters at 3:00 a.m., and boy, do I regret it. I was terrified.
π§ The resolution is a bit crazy. As you can expect from Jackson's books, it gets a unrealistic towards the end and you need to suspend your disbelief in order to enjoy it.
πͺ This is everything I can talk about without spoiling it, so let's get to the spoiler section:
π€± Speaking of daughters, it's very convenient that Carter suddenly suspected that Sherry wasn't her real mom and decided to do a DNA test? Eh? How convenient and completely convincing.
π©Έ Surprise, surprise, Charlie was behind it all. I guessed it because he was starting to act extremely suspicious.
π½ On that note, why the hell was everyone acting like it was normal to took off and leave his underage daughter and wife, who spent 16 years kidnapped, alone? Even the cops were like: ''listen, kiddo, it's normal for an adult to want to leave his home and have some space? Eh, I guess???? It's definitely legal, I guess? But I don't think it's okay. Morally speaking. Also, the cop didn't even care about him getting a fake identity. That's definitely illegal.
π©° I'll think of more things to talk about later.
The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
mysterious
reflective
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? Yes
4.0
Turton did it again.
I love how this author creates an original and creative world for each of his murder mystery books. It's so amazing. I love how he comes up with the most bizarre stories that take place in these fascinating worlds.
This one isn't really my favorite. I don't really care for dystopian sci-fi worlds. However, it's a Turton book, so of course I'm going to love it even if the setting isn't my favorite.
Another person mentioned this in her review: since this is a sci-fi mystery book, you don't know 100% what's going on. Just when you thought everything was starting to make sense, a character would come and explain something like: ''actually, there's a molecule generator hidden in the basement lab that can alter everyone's thoughts except my own and there's a timey-wimey machine that changes the past and the future and that can lower the defensive barrier and- βοΈπ€''. It is the nature of the genre, but still; can be frustrating at times.
Despite everything, I really loved the mystery in this one. I will admit that I wasn't so invested at the beginning; I didn't care about what was happening. But as the story progressed, I felt more connected to the characters, and I really wanted to see how everything was going to end.
Emory is such a wonderful main character. I love her so much. I love her curiosity and how she never gives up. She's perseverant and selfless. I love her.
The character development is astonishing. You go in thinking this is going to be a classic whodunnit, but you're absolutely mistaken. This is a book about so much more; it's about family, about love, about caring for and protecting other people, about friendship, about what being human means and so much more.
I really loved how everything ended, I even found myself tearing up during the last pages. I love Turton's writing so much and his creativity impresses me with every release.
He hinted in his acknowledgements that his next book will be a contemporary mystery! I'm so excited for it!!!
I love how this author creates an original and creative world for each of his murder mystery books. It's so amazing. I love how he comes up with the most bizarre stories that take place in these fascinating worlds.
This one isn't really my favorite. I don't really care for dystopian sci-fi worlds. However, it's a Turton book, so of course I'm going to love it even if the setting isn't my favorite.
Another person mentioned this in her review: since this is a sci-fi mystery book, you don't know 100% what's going on. Just when you thought everything was starting to make sense, a character would come and explain something like: ''actually, there's a molecule generator hidden in the basement lab that can alter everyone's thoughts except my own and there's a timey-wimey machine that changes the past and the future and that can lower the defensive barrier and- βοΈπ€''. It is the nature of the genre, but still; can be frustrating at times.
Despite everything, I really loved the mystery in this one. I will admit that I wasn't so invested at the beginning; I didn't care about what was happening. But as the story progressed, I felt more connected to the characters, and I really wanted to see how everything was going to end.
Emory is such a wonderful main character. I love her so much. I love her curiosity and how she never gives up. She's perseverant and selfless. I love her.
The character development is astonishing. You go in thinking this is going to be a classic whodunnit, but you're absolutely mistaken. This is a book about so much more; it's about family, about love, about caring for and protecting other people, about friendship, about what being human means and so much more.
I really loved how everything ended, I even found myself tearing up during the last pages. I love Turton's writing so much and his creativity impresses me with every release.
He hinted in his acknowledgements that his next book will be a contemporary mystery! I'm so excited for it!!!
Five Survive by Holly Jackson
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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
3.0
This was a very fun read.
The writing is very easy to digest and you can fly through it. I particularly liked Red's narration. She would have the same thoughts cycle through her head over and over again. And it was interesting, I liked it.
This book will keep you at the edge of your seat, desperate to know what comes next.
There were many plot twists, specially at the end. They're very Holly Jackson-y, you know? You can tell this book was written by the same author who wrote AGGGTM.In the last book, Pip does the unthinkable: she kills someone. She kills someone! That was so unexpected and insane!!!! You would never think that's how the story was going to end for her.
In this book, Red is shot and you're led to believe that she died. Fortunately, she didn't. But it's the kind of crazy ending that she gives to her main characters.
In the AGGGTM series, the book ends with an open ending. If I remember correctly, you never know whether Ravi contacted Pip again or not. In this one, you don't know if Red decided to meet with Author.
Man, that's so frustrating!!!!!!!! I don't want an open ending!!!!!!!!!.
This was a fun, well structured book, but it wasn't a memorable one. Hence the 3 star rating. This is a book you can pick up if you want a quick read that will keep you entertained.
The writing is very easy to digest and you can fly through it. I particularly liked Red's narration. She would have the same thoughts cycle through her head over and over again. And it was interesting, I liked it.
This book will keep you at the edge of your seat, desperate to know what comes next.
There were many plot twists, specially at the end. They're very Holly Jackson-y, you know? You can tell this book was written by the same author who wrote AGGGTM.
In this book, Red is shot and you're led to believe that she died. Fortunately, she didn't. But it's the kind of crazy ending that she gives to her main characters.
In the AGGGTM series, the book ends with an open ending. If I remember correctly, you never know whether Ravi contacted Pip again or not. In this one, you don't know if Red decided to meet with Author.
Man, that's so frustrating!!!!!!!! I don't want an open ending!!!!!!!!!.
This was a fun, well structured book, but it wasn't a memorable one. Hence the 3 star rating. This is a book you can pick up if you want a quick read that will keep you entertained.
Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
sad
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? Yes
5.0
SO. FREAKING. EPIC.
π This book started a bit slow, in my opinion. I kept thinking how it just didn't feel the same as The Way of Kings. However, as the story continued, the pace started to pick up and the book got more engaging and interesting. The last chapters were so epic! It was awesomeness after awesomeness!!!
π©Έ I really loved the interlude chapters in this one. They added a lot of important information to the overall story.
π We learned some weird things in this book.Mateform... I don't know why I find that so gross and disgusting. Of course the Parshendi need to reproduce, but ehhhh. I didn't want to know there were specific Parshendi who took care of that. I also HATE that I learned that Shardbearers shit themselves in their armor. WHY, BRANDON??? And the fact that Shallan was able to continue her date with Adolin after learning that? And felt attracted to him? EWWWW. I caaaaaaaaaan't. I would be so turned off by that.
π This book managed to make me laugh out loud and cry real tears. That doesn't happen often. So by that alone, it deserves a million stars. Thank you for making me feel emotions.
π¦ Kaladin was so awesome in this book. HE IS THE BEST CHARACTER EVER CREATED. I LOVE HIM SO MUCH. He has cemented himself as my favorite character of all time. Other characters should feel ashamed to even exist in their own fictional worlds when Kaladin Stormblessed exists. Seriously. This might even become a problem because now I feel everyone sucks and Kaladin is the only great character.
πSome of the best parts were:
When he faced the Assassin in White during his first attempt to kill Dalinar. OMG, HE'S SO EPICCCCC. I LOVE YOU, KALADIN.
''Honor is dead, but I'll see that I can do''. ME: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. HE'S SACRIFICING HIMSELF TO PROTECT OTHERS. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH.
When he decided not to kill the King. HE LOVES PROTECTING PEOPLE. HE'S A REAL HERO.
When he flied all the way to the Shattered Plains to protect Dalinar. OH MY GOD.
HE'S THE BEST PERSON EVER. I LOVE HIM. I WILL GIVE MY LIFE FOR HIM.
π« Unfortunately, I already knew two of the major reveals in this book. Reminder to NEVER Google anything about the series you're currently reading. NEVER. NO MATTER WHAT. So the reveals didn't shock me, but they were so well written, that even though I already knew what was happening, I was able to feel stress, sadness, excitement and everything else.
π¬οΈ Bottom line: this series is amazing and this book was so great!!!!!!!! I really loved it so much. This is going to sound stupid, but I feel like crying when I think about this series and how amazing it is. I'm already tearing up while writing this review.
π This book started a bit slow, in my opinion. I kept thinking how it just didn't feel the same as The Way of Kings. However, as the story continued, the pace started to pick up and the book got more engaging and interesting. The last chapters were so epic! It was awesomeness after awesomeness!!!
π©Έ I really loved the interlude chapters in this one. They added a lot of important information to the overall story.
π We learned some weird things in this book.
π This book managed to make me laugh out loud and cry real tears. That doesn't happen often. So by that alone, it deserves a million stars. Thank you for making me feel emotions.
π¦ Kaladin was so awesome in this book. HE IS THE BEST CHARACTER EVER CREATED. I LOVE HIM SO MUCH. He has cemented himself as my favorite character of all time. Other characters should feel ashamed to even exist in their own fictional worlds when Kaladin Stormblessed exists. Seriously. This might even become a problem because now I feel everyone sucks and Kaladin is the only great character.
π
When he faced the Assassin in White during his first attempt to kill Dalinar. OMG, HE'S SO EPICCCCC. I LOVE YOU, KALADIN.
''Honor is dead, but I'll see that I can do''. ME: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. HE'S SACRIFICING HIMSELF TO PROTECT OTHERS. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH.
When he decided not to kill the King. HE LOVES PROTECTING PEOPLE. HE'S A REAL HERO.
When he flied all the way to the Shattered Plains to protect Dalinar. OH MY GOD.
HE'S THE BEST PERSON EVER. I LOVE HIM. I WILL GIVE MY LIFE FOR HIM.
π« Unfortunately, I already knew two of the major reveals in this book. Reminder to NEVER Google anything about the series you're currently reading. NEVER. NO MATTER WHAT. So the reveals didn't shock me, but they were so well written, that even though I already knew what was happening, I was able to feel stress, sadness, excitement and everything else.
π¬οΈ Bottom line: this series is amazing and this book was so great!!!!!!!! I really loved it so much. This is going to sound stupid, but I feel like crying when I think about this series and how amazing it is. I'm already tearing up while writing this review.
The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
adventurous
challenging
emotional
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? Yes
5.0
This book lived up to its hype and then it turned out to be even better than what I expected. I'm not a very articulate person, so I'm just going to list some of my thoughts, in no particular order.
βοΈ Fantastic worldbuilding. So many details and facts about all the different lands, cultures, religions, people, languages. It's so amazing and intricate. There were several interlude chapters sprinkled throughout the book that worked as a way to expand the worldbuilding and the lore. loved them.
π©Έ Tons of action right from the beginning. There were so many battle and fight scenes, and I'm someone who usually dislikes this aspect of fantasy books. I just find action scenes so boring. I skim through them. But the scenes here were all so important and amazing. So, so, sooooooooooooo amazing. Which leads me to my next point:
π I FELT SO MANY EMOTIONS WHILE READING THIS BOOK. I cried several times: out of sadness, out of excitement, out of joy, out of feeling so proud of the characters. The action scenes will pull at your heartstrings. But the other parts of the book are just as amazing. I loved it when a book makes me feel. I used to be someone who cried and laughed with every piece of media I consumed. Then, I don't know what happened to me, but I stopped to be able to have physical reactions, such as crying or laughing, while consuming media. I seldom do. So I really appreciate it when a book brings out my old cry-baby self.
π THE CHARACTERS. THEY. ARE. THE BEST. PEOPLE. EVER. I love our main characters so much. Specially Kaladin; he's my everything. I love him so much. He's the best person I've never met (because he isn't real. Unfortunately). Dalinar is the father I always wanted. Except that I do have a great father, but I just wanted to emphasize how great of a fatherly figure Dalinar is. He's a true man of honor. I admire him so much. And Shallan is so intelligent, and I wish I had her strength.
π¬οΈ This is a story told through different POVs. They were all interesting and great. I didn't find any of them boring. At no point in this book did I think ''ugh, not this character's POV again''. I was a great fan of Shallan's chapters. They were my absolute favorite and I looked forward to reading them.
π This will be irrelevant to most people and it has nothing to do with the quality of the book, but I think Jon Snow and Kaladin are very similar. I was thinking about that today because I watched Alt Shift X's video analysis on Jon. It was fun to point out their similarities as I was watching the video. I also joked about how he's similar to Daenerysbecause Kaladin survived the Highstorm and Daenerys survived the fire. Both are events that should be impossible to survive and that are important in each character's journey.
π¦ PLOT TWIST. There were a few, and I saw none of them coming. Well, except two, but I only predicted them a few pages before the reveal, thanks to the way everything was being set up for it.
π By the way, the side characters are awesome, too. Specially the ones in Kaladin's chapters. I LOVE THEM.They're the best family ever. I'm so glad I was wrong and none of them betrayed the group. I loved how they started hating or feeling indifferent towards Kaladin, and ended up respecting and appreciating him. It's so lovely and amazing and wonderful and I don't know what else to say other than I love them so much.
π¨ββοΈ Friendly reminder that I love Jasnah and she's my wife. Thank you.
β¨ This book is the best start to an epic fantasy series that I know will become my absolute favorite. Actually, it already is. It doesn't matter that I haven't read the rest of the books, I know I'll love them so much and I'm so excited to read them. I cannot wait. I need them right now.
π OH, AND THE ENDING................ One of the last chapters is the best thing I've read IN MY ENTIRE LIFE. I SWEAR TO GOD. IT WAS SO PHENOMENAL.WHEN KALADIN DECIDED TO GO BACK TO SAVE DALINAR'S MEN. WHAT THE ACTUAL HELL??????? THAT WAS SO HEROIC AND AMAZING AND WOOOOOOOOW. I LOVE KALADIN AND THE BRIDGEMEN. I LOVE THEM. THEY'RE SO NOBLE. I'M STILL THINKING ABOUT IT. I CAN'T BELIEVE IT. THEY'RE SUCH GREAT PEOPLE. I NEED TO SCREAM FOREVER. THAT CHAPTER WAS SO GOOOOOOOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CALL ME DRAMATIC, BUT I SWEAR, THAT WAS ONE OF THE BEST THINGS I'VE READ. I STILL CAN'T BELIEVE. IT WAS SO GOODDD LSFKHSDKFHSDKFHSDJK. I LOVE THEM FOREVER.
READ THE WAY OF KINGS. Who cares if it's over one thousand pages long? Those are the best pages you'll read.
βοΈ Fantastic worldbuilding. So many details and facts about all the different lands, cultures, religions, people, languages. It's so amazing and intricate. There were several interlude chapters sprinkled throughout the book that worked as a way to expand the worldbuilding and the lore. loved them.
π©Έ Tons of action right from the beginning. There were so many battle and fight scenes, and I'm someone who usually dislikes this aspect of fantasy books. I just find action scenes so boring. I skim through them. But the scenes here were all so important and amazing. So, so, sooooooooooooo amazing. Which leads me to my next point:
π I FELT SO MANY EMOTIONS WHILE READING THIS BOOK. I cried several times: out of sadness, out of excitement, out of joy, out of feeling so proud of the characters. The action scenes will pull at your heartstrings. But the other parts of the book are just as amazing. I loved it when a book makes me feel. I used to be someone who cried and laughed with every piece of media I consumed. Then, I don't know what happened to me, but I stopped to be able to have physical reactions, such as crying or laughing, while consuming media. I seldom do. So I really appreciate it when a book brings out my old cry-baby self.
π THE CHARACTERS. THEY. ARE. THE BEST. PEOPLE. EVER. I love our main characters so much. Specially Kaladin; he's my everything. I love him so much. He's the best person I've never met (because he isn't real. Unfortunately). Dalinar is the father I always wanted. Except that I do have a great father, but I just wanted to emphasize how great of a fatherly figure Dalinar is. He's a true man of honor. I admire him so much. And Shallan is so intelligent, and I wish I had her strength.
π¬οΈ This is a story told through different POVs. They were all interesting and great. I didn't find any of them boring. At no point in this book did I think ''ugh, not this character's POV again''. I was a great fan of Shallan's chapters. They were my absolute favorite and I looked forward to reading them.
π This will be irrelevant to most people and it has nothing to do with the quality of the book, but I think Jon Snow and Kaladin are very similar. I was thinking about that today because I watched Alt Shift X's video analysis on Jon. It was fun to point out their similarities as I was watching the video. I also joked about how he's similar to Daenerys
π¦ PLOT TWIST. There were a few, and I saw none of them coming. Well, except two, but I only predicted them a few pages before the reveal, thanks to the way everything was being set up for it.
π By the way, the side characters are awesome, too. Specially the ones in Kaladin's chapters. I LOVE THEM.
π¨ββοΈ Friendly reminder that I love Jasnah and she's my wife. Thank you.
β¨ This book is the best start to an epic fantasy series that I know will become my absolute favorite. Actually, it already is. It doesn't matter that I haven't read the rest of the books, I know I'll love them so much and I'm so excited to read them. I cannot wait. I need them right now.
π OH, AND THE ENDING................ One of the last chapters is the best thing I've read IN MY ENTIRE LIFE. I SWEAR TO GOD. IT WAS SO PHENOMENAL.
READ THE WAY OF KINGS. Who cares if it's over one thousand pages long? Those are the best pages you'll read.
The Rainbow Catcher, Volume 0 by CΓ©dric Mayen
adventurous
informative
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? No
3.0
Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a free copy of this book.
This was cute! I really loved the colorful art style and how each chapter represented a different color of the rainbow. Though sometimes the faces looked really weird.
The story was fun and interesting to read about. But I'm confused about who the target audience is: this reads like a middle grade book to teach kids about science, the value of love and to not discriminate those who are different; however, there is a page that contains naked people having sex with goat creatures and a rape attempt. It's not very graphic or explicit, but still; not appropriate for kids. Other than that, it's a very juvenile book.
I liked the main character and his enthusiasm for science, he's very wholesome.
Overall, a nice and very short story that will keep you entertained and teach you about rainbows!
This was cute! I really loved the colorful art style and how each chapter represented a different color of the rainbow. Though sometimes the faces looked really weird.
The story was fun and interesting to read about. But I'm confused about who the target audience is: this reads like a middle grade book to teach kids about science, the value of love and to not discriminate those who are different; however, there is a page that contains naked people having sex with goat creatures and a rape attempt. It's not very graphic or explicit, but still; not appropriate for kids. Other than that, it's a very juvenile book.
I liked the main character and his enthusiasm for science, he's very wholesome.
Overall, a nice and very short story that will keep you entertained and teach you about rainbows!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Rape
Dwellings by Jay Stephens
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a free copy of this book.
This was a great read. I really, really, really loved the art style: it's so adorable and vintage, reminiscing of those comic strips I used to read in the newspaper as a kid.
There are six short stories in this book and they're all full of horror, gore, violence and insanity. I liked how most of them were connected some way or another. There were also some one-page stories sprinkled here and there that were really fun to read. I love the author's creativity to come up with these crazy plots.
This is a really great graphic novel that will keep you entertained and disturbed at the same time. It's not my favorite book of all time, and definitely not my favorite genre, hence the three star rating. But I want to emphasize how much of a great job the author did. I really liked this book and its colorful and visually pleasing pages.
This was a great read. I really, really, really loved the art style: it's so adorable and vintage, reminiscing of those comic strips I used to read in the newspaper as a kid.
There are six short stories in this book and they're all full of horror, gore, violence and insanity. I liked how most of them were connected some way or another. There were also some one-page stories sprinkled here and there that were really fun to read. I love the author's creativity to come up with these crazy plots.
This is a really great graphic novel that will keep you entertained and disturbed at the same time. It's not my favorite book of all time, and definitely not my favorite genre, hence the three star rating. But I want to emphasize how much of a great job the author did. I really liked this book and its colorful and visually pleasing pages.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Self harm, Death, Blood, Violence, Child death, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Injury/Injury detail, Drug use, Drug abuse, Torture, Addiction, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Physical abuse, Murder, Cursing, and Child abuse
Minor: Incest
Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This is a very strange book. It starts very slowly and nothing much happens at first. Then the story starts to pick up around the 25% mark and it gets very interesting. I was wondering when the fantasy elements were going to appear, because there were none at the beginning of the book. Then we finally saw some magic happening and it was very fascinating, but extremely confusing.
One thing I don't understand is why in this fantasy world; with ghosts, necromancers, and such, Jesus Christ exists???? And why does Shakespeare also exist? I found that so random. I get it, this story takes place on planet Earth, but I just find it very strange that Jesus and the Catholic Chruch exist. I don't know. Like I said, I understand that this takes place on planet Earth, but whyyyyyyyyyy include real-world historical figures? It was so weird, and it took me out of the story every time they mentioned Jesus and freaking Shakespeare.
The last 25% of the book was confusing. And I mean really confusing. Don't ask me what happened because I have no idea. At least I did understand the ending.
I will continue with this series in the future, because I am interested in the story, and I do want to know how Jorg's journey will end.
One thing I don't understand is why in this fantasy world; with ghosts, necromancers, and such, Jesus Christ exists???? And why does Shakespeare also exist? I found that so random. I get it, this story takes place on planet Earth, but I just find it very strange that Jesus and the Catholic Chruch exist. I don't know. Like I said, I understand that this takes place on planet Earth, but whyyyyyyyyyy include real-world historical figures? It was so weird, and it took me out of the story every time they mentioned Jesus and freaking Shakespeare.
The last 25% of the book was confusing. And I mean really confusing. Don't ask me what happened because I have no idea. At least I did understand the ending.
I will continue with this series in the future, because I am interested in the story, and I do want to know how Jorg's journey will end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Blood, Murder, Misogyny, Child death, Violence, Torture, Cursing, and Adult/minor relationship
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, and Pregnancy
The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett
There are some other characters, though not as important as our main two, who are still well-written. I really loved Miljin as well. I didn't trust him at the beginning, but as the story progressed, he became very dear to me and I wish him nothing but the best.
You really need to pick this book up and give it a chance. You will be so surprised and have the best time ever reading it. I'm sure it will be in many people's Best of 2024 lists at the end of the year. It will definitely be in mine.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
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
Best.
Book.
Ever.
That's it. That's the review. Drop everything you're doing right now and go read this masterpiece. I beg you.
Ok, but seriously. This is the first book by Robert Jackson Bennet that I've read and it certainly won't be the last. I've had The Founders trilogy on my TBR for ages, and I can't wait to read it, especially now that I know his writing style is magnificent and I'm in love with it.
What a great introduction to a series! I'm 100% sure it will become amazing and beloved by so many people. I can't wait for the next books to be published and be back in this world.
The plot of The Tainted Cup is extremely interesting and engaging. It starts as a very strange, but simple murder, but as the story continues and our main characters discover more clues, the plot becomes something much, much bigger. The scope of this entire investigation is huge. I loved every single second of it. I couldn't stop reading; I wanted to know what would come next. This story is heavily inspired by Sherlock Holmes, and you can clearly see it. I enjoyed finding all the little clues and trying to guess what they meant and what they would lead to. Everything is connected in some way or another, and it was so satisfying when we finally learned who was behind it all and why. I felt particularly proud of myself when I found the answer to one the questions in this mysteryI knew that Uhad was the third poisoner! . That is to say that if you pay attention, you might be able to connect all the pieces together and find the answer alongside our main characters. Though it will be hard, because there are so many shocking twists!
This is a fantasy series, and as the first book, you can expect tons of worldbuilding. But it won't be too boring and annoying; Jackson Bennet did a great job blending the worldbuilding parts with the rest of the story, creating a perfect balance. Right from the beginning we are told things such as: ''I wondered if even the air was expensive in here, then saw it was: a massive kirpis mushroom had been built into the corner of every main roomβa tall, black fungus built to suck in air, clean it, and exhale it out at a cooler temperature''. And you know exactly what to expect: a captivating, fascinating and extremely creative world with a magic system that will continue to surprise you the more you read.
And finally, the characters in this book are the most lovable you'll ever find. Our two main characters: Din and Ana are the perfect pair. They complement each other perfectly, working together in perfect harmony to solve the mystery. Ana is very eccentric right from the beginning and I felt a bit frustrated by her. I found her annoying and rude; HOWEVER, none of that is true (except the eccentric part), for she is very well developed throughout the story, and you just can't help but grow to love her dearly. She's a very interesting main character with a fascinating backstory that I can't wait to read more about in the future books. And Din, my beloved. My sweetheart. My honeypie. My everything. He's so amazing and incredible. I love him so, so, so much. He's smart, he's strong, he's sweet, he's funny, he's everything you want in a main character and more. So much more. His character development in this one is top-notch. I can't wait for everyone to read this book and fall in love with Din.
Book.
Ever.
That's it. That's the review. Drop everything you're doing right now and go read this masterpiece. I beg you.
Ok, but seriously. This is the first book by Robert Jackson Bennet that I've read and it certainly won't be the last. I've had The Founders trilogy on my TBR for ages, and I can't wait to read it, especially now that I know his writing style is magnificent and I'm in love with it.
What a great introduction to a series! I'm 100% sure it will become amazing and beloved by so many people. I can't wait for the next books to be published and be back in this world.
The plot of The Tainted Cup is extremely interesting and engaging. It starts as a very strange, but simple murder, but as the story continues and our main characters discover more clues, the plot becomes something much, much bigger. The scope of this entire investigation is huge. I loved every single second of it. I couldn't stop reading; I wanted to know what would come next. This story is heavily inspired by Sherlock Holmes, and you can clearly see it. I enjoyed finding all the little clues and trying to guess what they meant and what they would lead to. Everything is connected in some way or another, and it was so satisfying when we finally learned who was behind it all and why. I felt particularly proud of myself when I found the answer to one the questions in this mystery
This is a fantasy series, and as the first book, you can expect tons of worldbuilding. But it won't be too boring and annoying; Jackson Bennet did a great job blending the worldbuilding parts with the rest of the story, creating a perfect balance. Right from the beginning we are told things such as: ''I wondered if even the air was expensive in here, then saw it was: a massive kirpis mushroom had been built into the corner of every main roomβa tall, black fungus built to suck in air, clean it, and exhale it out at a cooler temperature''. And you know exactly what to expect: a captivating, fascinating and extremely creative world with a magic system that will continue to surprise you the more you read.
And finally, the characters in this book are the most lovable you'll ever find. Our two main characters: Din and Ana are the perfect pair. They complement each other perfectly, working together in perfect harmony to solve the mystery. Ana is very eccentric right from the beginning and I felt a bit frustrated by her. I found her annoying and rude; HOWEVER, none of that is true (except the eccentric part), for she is very well developed throughout the story, and you just can't help but grow to love her dearly. She's a very interesting main character with a fascinating backstory that I can't wait to read more about in the future books. And Din, my beloved. My sweetheart. My honeypie. My everything. He's so amazing and incredible. I love him so, so, so much. He's smart, he's strong, he's sweet, he's funny, he's everything you want in a main character and more. So much more. His character development in this one is top-notch. I can't wait for everyone to read this book and fall in love with Din.
''So instead of committing robbery, I made tea''.
There are some other characters, though not as important as our main two, who are still well-written. I really loved Miljin as well. I didn't trust him at the beginning, but as the story progressed, he became very dear to me and I wish him nothing but the best.
You really need to pick this book up and give it a chance. You will be so surprised and have the best time ever reading it. I'm sure it will be in many people's Best of 2024 lists at the end of the year. It will definitely be in mine.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Murder, Torture, and Medical content