tattooedbooklover's reviews
6 reviews

Wake of Vultures by Lila Bowen

adventurous dark slow-paced

• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

I loved the beginning but ended up not liking the direction the book took. I thought I would love a fantasy western with monster hunting, but I found that the underlying themes turned me off to the fun bits. Nettie’s internalized misogyny was difficult to stomach and I absolutely hated that

she “becomes a woman” for the sole purpose of allowing herself to be sexually assaulted

. I also felt that the indigenous rep left much to be desired and at times felt racist. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Racism, and Sexual assault

The Ruins by Scott Smith

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

One of the best horror books I’ve read. Classic “vacation gone horribly wrong” story. Great for fans of body horror. It’s super intense and at times graphically violent, so beware! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

The Hunger by Alma Katsu

slow-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

Maybe I would have liked this book if I didn’t know anything about the Donner Party, but I was very uncomfortable with some of the choices the author made given that these characters were based on real people. James Reed in particular. I didn’t care for the homophobia laced throughout the novel, either. If you’re going to play fast and loose with facts, anyway, there’s no real reason to include awful stereotypes or prejudices. I really struggled with this book. I gave it 2 stars because there were some elements I liked and the premise was interesting. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Homophobia

Savage Girl by Jean Zimmerman

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I loved this book, mostly because it so richly invoked the historical era in which it was set. I also liked the mystery element.

the author did cheat a little with the reveal at the end, but it didn’t lessen my enjoyment of the book as a whole

Of Bees and Mist by Erick Setiawan

challenging emotional slow-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I really loved this book. I struggled with the beginning because it is very slow-paced and often "tells" instead of shows, but once I settled into the story's rhythm I started to enjoy it very much. I loved the magical elements and how they were used to convey difficult topics such as post-partum depression and narcissism. A rich and complicated story, and well worth wading through the slower parts. 

Gold by Dan Rhodes

funny lighthearted slow-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

"Gold" is mostly a collection of anecdotes about the people in a small town, all told through the lens of the main character Miyuki's annual visits. This book actually made me laugh out loud at some parts, and I really enjoyed reading it. It's slower paced, but that was part of its charm for me. There is some diversity, but it's an older book and I wouldn't say the diversity is up to modern standards.