thatrandombookworm's reviews
166 reviews

City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful 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

3.25

I’ve found that so far this series had peaked at City of Glass. This book was good, but it did not reach the standard that City of Glass did. I found Clary to be almighty irritating, obsessing over Jace, as if their lives are not being threatened. I really hope the last book is strong for the sake of the original trilogy. 

Flock: First Nations Stories Then and Now by Ellen van Neerven

4.0

As all short story collections go, there and some stories better than others. There were no ‘bad’ stories, but some were more enjoyable than others. This is a collection of short indigenous stories and I absolutely adored it. Despite the length of the stories, some really struck a cord with me. For the most pain they were complex, really demonstrating the struggles the indigenous people have face. Notable themes are love (both romantic and violent platonic), family, grief, motherhood, and connections. My favourite of these stories are: Rodeo Girl by Michael Torres, Wildflower Girl by Alf Taylor, River Story by Mykalea Saunders, Dreamers by Melissa Lucashenko, and Frank Slim by Tony Birch

City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.5

This book disappointed me greatly. I was expecting to go into another adventure, but we got a filler book. Now there is nothing wrong with filler novels, but this one irritated me. Don't get me wrong, I liked this book, however I am tired of Clary and Jace drama. They want each other when they cannot have each other, but are pissed at each other when they can have each other. I enjoyed the backstory and introduction of Jordan, and Simon dealing with everything, but again the whole Maia, Isabelle, and Simon drama annoyed me. I really did like then ending of the story, the climax was executed well. Cassandra Clare's writing style is growing. Overall, this novel should of been a fun filler book, but what it was was petty relationship drama, with a climatic ending. Despite all of this, I did enjoy this novel, but was just disappointed. 

City of Glass by Cassandra Clare

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious sad 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

5.0

This was fun. I am now completely in love with reading again. Is this book a super serious, great piece of literature? No, not at all. Did I want to continue reading even when I had to put the book down... yes. This novel is so much better than the other ones in the series, it is so much more well written, you can see that the amazing Cassandra Clare is being born. The one who wrote The Infernal Devices. The characters are so very lovable, and the conflicts between them feel real. Well, as real as a fantasy world can. Overall the plot was fun, the characters were amazing, and the writing style is getting better. 

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

5.0

City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare

4.0

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny lighthearted tense medium-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? No

3.75

I first read this book almost three years ago, never continuing with the series, though I adored the book. So after the entire series sitting on my shelf for a long time, I decided to start where it all began. I need to start of by saying that I have in fact read The Infernal Devices and The Dark Artifices and enjoyed both greatly. It’s nice seeing how far Cassandra Clare has come. 
Onto this book. Yes, the writing style isn’t the best in Cassandra Clare’s early books, yes, you would be right in calling this book info-dumpy (however I am already well acquainted with the magic system), and yes, the character work isn’t the best. Despite all of that, I’d by lying if I said that it wasn’t fun, revising these characters was like meeting up with an old friend. A bit of a side note, but it’s interesting seeing how far the characters have come because I have read TDA. This book isn’t supposed to be a great work of literature, it’s meant to be a silly YA book. I would have rated it higher, but the writing and some of the plot twists just wasn’t for me. I can’t wait to continue the series, and note all the little cameos and easter eggs from her future works that has woven themselves unknowingly into the story.

Elektra by Jennifer Saint

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

This book was beautiful. The language used was stunning. This book made me cry multiple times. I adored all the themes we got to explore because it was told from the women’s side of things. I particularly was fascinated by Agamemnon, and the different perceptions of him. Clytemnestra, loathing him for the death of Iphigenia, doing everything she can to prevent any harm to her other children, whilst completely isolating herself from them, becoming alienated. However the youngest daughter, Elektra idolises the man, for she only recollects the positive memories of her father, creating excuses to justify his horrific actions. Then we have Cassandra, she needs no care for Agamemnon because she is Trojan, not only that but she is doing everything she can to get rid of the pain. Overall this book was a masterpiece.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

To boil it down, this is a book about a romance but it is so much more than that. The main character Jane Eyre, goes through many traumas. The book details her life, from being an orphan child being looked after by an aunt who does not love her, to going to a boarding school as both student and teacher, to finally trying to find her place in the world. 
Due to the fact that this book is told in first person, it brings plenty of well needed emotion into the story. I especially loved the righting style, even though it was written in the 1840s, it is incredibly accessible to a wide range of people. 
The characters were incredibly well written, though not all of them were likeable, I still admire how fleshed out they were. The relationship between Jane and Mr. Rochester, is a very toxic possessive one. Jane doesn’t notice this but the reader does, everything has to be done to please Mr. Rochester. He is a terrible person, but we as the reader still desires for Jane and Mr. Rochester to end up together. 
Overall I very much enjoyed this book, I flew through the pages and was very engaged throughout the entire book, though the book was rather slow. 

Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke

challenging informative mysterious fast-paced

4.0

This book was very insightful and inspiring. At times it was a bit dry, however it was a lovely short book. This is a book for all the creative types in the world, especially young people.