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thecaffeinatedreader's Reviews (685)
adventurous
fast-paced
I finished this book at 2 Am so there was no direct write up of the review other than, 'omg I loved it, go read it' and that felt insufficient haha.
I will say when I requested this on NetGalley I had no idea that it was the SECOND book, and really this was before I leaned my lesson on checking goodreads to see, so, I'm not putting the blame on them or me, it just happened that way haha. But that really didn't takeaway from the reading experience, not as much as I thought it would (so yes you could say this would have had a full 5 stars from me instead of 4.5 if I had read the first but still, 4.5 without reading it isn't shabby).
Delphine is probably one of the best MCs I've read of, and I don't mean necessarily that she was complex and multifaceted and all, but we start off in this book with a woman in her 80s, do you know how rare that is?? Not to mention I adored Martha to the point of no return and I thought that Hagar was that complex character that you couldn't just hate, but man did you sure want to shake.
Tim Clare breathes life into a whole world, giving us varied and new species and parallels, politics, intriguing characters, and does it all without making you feel like you're always getting 'lectured' on the set up of what he's given you. Butler was another favorite of mine and I love how much Martha cares for Delphine by helping her with Alice and by simply continuously staying by her side (another thing I absolutely adored and can't even put into coherent words).
If you want a book that makes you fall head over heels in love with an author's style and words and you like high/heavy fantasy, I definitely say give this book a try....just...read book 1 first (The Honors for those who are curious).
Really I tried not to fangirl over this, I didn't succeed but I hope this review helps someone!
I received this book from the Publishers via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
I feel like I’m just fangirling over amazing books lately just flapping around excitedly in my reviews like the crazy inflatable arm man. So. I’m going to try really hard to give you something more than pterodactyl screeches in this review.
This was basically the novel equivalent of Criminal Minds, a really dark and suspenseful police procedural.
[And I am a huge fan of Criminal Minds you know until about season 11]
Markin gives such a delicious read about a series of murders and they all seem to have a very strong connection to something more than just a serial killer getting their fill. This also includes Aztec mythology which is a nice change of pace as we usually hear more about Greek/Roman/Norse mythology in novels these days. [Or at least I do…hopefully, it’s not just me lol]
I very much enjoyed seeing how Yorke and his team were piecing together clues and loved the creepy chapters told from the point of the serial killer. I have to say the misdirect worked on me momentarily and to that, I tip my imaginary hat to Markin because I really thought I know ‘whodunit.’
Also, Markin is not afraid to do away with characters he’s like the thriller version G.R.R. Martin, so, you know, try not to get attached, bahaha. I did like that though, it was clear that anyone was capable of dying and the feeling of everyone running out of time had me actually and not just figuratively on the edge of my seat. Martin doesn’t drag on the novel too long and he manages to give a very satisfying story in quite a short period when you realize how much he integrated into the plot and the number of characters.
So, if you like police procedurals/thrillers, and you want to read an amazing newer series, go grab The Repenting Serpent -or the first one in the series, One Last Prayer for the Rays.- Though this is a series, it’s not necessary to read book 1 to be able to read book 2. Thank you to CarolineBookBit Tours and the author for a digital copy in exchange for my review.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
I have always had a soft spot for poetry, and though it’s nice to read love poems, romantic ones at that, I think that poetry spans so much more and offers a sort of comfort for almost any situation. In this collection, Rivers takes the reader on a journey of grief and healing, in this case, it is the loss of her own Father which resonates in her poetry. There’s always something missing in you after you’ve lost someone you’ve cared for and sometimes talking to others helps but seeing words from someone else that speaks to your heart is just therapy in its own, at least for me. Rivers doesn’t force the words and they seem to come from a place of honesty and her style is simple and lovely. She also doesn’t overburden the reader so if they are also suffering from grief it will not be something so overwhelming that it’ll more damage than healing. The imagery is flowing and paints a picture in your heart. My favorite poems were ‘At My Father’s Grave,’ ‘How to Cross the Desert,’ and ‘Seeker’ but they were all a joy to read in their own right and some of them felt more lyrical than anything.
If you enjoy free-flowing poetry, whether you’ve suffered a loss or not, I recommend this to you. Thanks to Anne Cater, the Publisher, and Bethany Rivers for the opportunity to read this lovely book.
dark
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
The synopsis truly had me intrigued from the start with this book and while it could have easily derailed and been made into a more run of the mill read, I actually felt that Lynch had done a more than decent job with how she’d set this up. I’m not saying that some of you might not find this predictable as far as the mystery goes, I didn’t but I wasn’t looking into finding the answer, I was enjoying the moment, but I think this goes beyond the mystery. Our Author brings a spotlight on domestic abuse and she does it in a way that shows just how hard it is to escape it. There are so many times in society that people wonder why others stay in abusive relationships and I think Lynch did a great job showing the struggle for a spouse to leave an abusive partner, especially when there could be children involved. [I’m not telling, remember I try not to give spoilers!]
You’ll want to read this in a sitting, I had to break it up into a couple of train rides but I flew through it. I loved Ellie, and I loved that she was a female police officer who was having to deal with the backlash of a past incident on a case because I feel that the reaction to her from others on the force was so accurate.
This also isn’t just the tale of one domestic situation but a couple of them and how they truly affect everyone in the long run. Being a victim and feeling powerless is unfortunately a feeling that in this case women feel quite a bit but I do have to say I was impressed that Ellie did remember the tables could be flipped, that just as easily a man can be a victim as well and Lynch got a small round of applause from me for that.
The story situations POVs and I like that in mysteries because it gives you more pieces of the puzzle to work with and I really enjoyed the writing style. I’ve had such a good reading week thanks to Anne Cater, and to the authors and publishers who have been kind enough to send copies of their books such as this one. I actually plan on buying a copy or two for family for Christmas on this one! If you like a psychological thriller, and you are intrigued by the look at domestic violence, I hope you find this particular book in your hands.
Thank you to the publisher and blog tour organizer for a digital copy of this in exchange for my honest opinion.
Thank you to the publisher and blog tour organizer for a digital copy of this in exchange for my honest opinion.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
I haven’t read many YA Thrillers and so my knowledge is limited I would say, but, I absolutely adored this one.
Thank you Gertrude T. Kitty for sending me a copy, I’m happy to leave my review after devouring this book.
Because that’s what happens, you devour it.
This is not without its faults but we’ll get to the good stuff first!
[Very Minor Spoiler here and there but doesn’t give too much away as the book does go from present to past so things are revealed but not put together all at once.]
Mia is someone who goes through so much shit, really, she has a horrible home life and her mother is basically evil incarnate. You sympathize SO MUCH for her as you read along and you cheer her onward in her bettering herself, in her mental health and with treating her body as something more than to be ignored.
She goes through weight loss, as she’s realized her attachment to food is unhealthy. [Remember there is absolutely nothing wrong with being overweight, but her relationship with food was using it to ignore other things wrong in her life and Mia deals with that in a better manner, nor does she really starve herself or deny herself foods she likes as she loses the weight, she just finds her appetite has diminished as her focus changes gears.]
Mia ups her game at school realizing her best shot of getting out of this horrible cycle of life with her mom is go off to Uni and be far away.
However, not everything happens according to plan and though Mia perseveres through her troubles, she’s handed more and more as she goes as well. Her father’s health is not the greatest, and she’s developed a new unhealthy obsession. Flynn.
What starts out as an innocent fantasy of romanticizing a stranger turns into something more as she finds herself in such a spiral that she has become a stalker. Her attraction to him borders on unhealthy and any manner of this sort of behavior should never ever be rewarded in real life. However since this is not real life, Mia finds herself interacting with Flynn and it ends up in a restraining order, this is good because it does show there is a consequence to her actions but I do feel that the plot with Flynn is not something I want to encourage as they progress past that.
However, there is something else going on in the streets of London, young girls have gone missing ‘The Wolf’ is at hand and there are already two bodies on his counter. But, who is this man, and what is his connection to Mia, and why is he so fascinated with her?
Can I just say that the parallel between The Wolf and Mia as both people who have stalked is actually super intriguing and Kitty pulls it off really well by showing you how it can be in extremes and that Mia in a way has a connection to The Wolf in that they both have kept an eye on what they want.
I think that Mia and Flynn’s origins of their arc is the only thing I have a really hard time dealing with. I loved them, but I really hated that something came from her stalking. Remember this is a story, in real life guys, this will never happen and it is not something to glorify. This is the only reason I didn’t give it five stars to be fair.
But back to other good things, I loved how Kitty shows the police mishandling so much because of a prejudice against Mia and it shows how it can put so much else at risk. Not to mention I loved how horrible Mia’s mom was, and not because it was ‘juicy’ but because she seems like such a real person, which is horrifying but great because it sucks you more into the story and has you rooting for Mia all the more.
Kitty’s manner of storytelling is wonderful, she has a great way with words and aside from a couple of minor typos the rest of the book was flawless in her style, as far as my tastes go!
If you are okay with things I have mentioned or keep them in mind and are intrigued I highly suggest reading this and I truly, truly hope that we see more thrillers/writing from Gertrude T. Kitty in the near future.
Content Warning: Body image issues, people fat shaming the MC, sexual assault, attempted rape, violence, forcibly restrained/kidnapped characters, mention of others being raped -but not described- and alcohol abuse.
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
This book was a wonderfully light and delightfully read. Bowden manages to give you a historical tied to today mystery and does it in such a great length. It impresses me when someone writes a shorter book and manages to fit everything necessary without overwhelming the reader or leaving things out, and Bowden impressed me. The Amber Maze was also the perfect read for me after reading such heavy novels in length and content.
The way Hugh gets into these situations is a wonderful part of this character’s personality, he has a need to uncover the truth with even something as small as an old plain key.
The story that Bowden writes for us keeps you intrigued the whole time and his knowledge of art is obvious without being overbearing for those who may not know much about art, I actually felt like I came away with more art knowledge and really enjoyed that as someone who loves art!
If you’re needing a light read that delivers on some mystery and history, then I highly recommend The Amber Maze.
Thank you to Christopher Bowden for the copy of his book as part of this blog tour, and thanks to Anne Cater for let me take part in the tour!
adventurous
fast-paced
Geminicia is the second book in this series thus far and I read Discoucia beforehand to be caught up for this blog tour and let me tell you, you’ll definitely want to read it before diving into book 2! This series is setting itself up to be an epic steampunk fantasy with a soap opera feel, and in saying that I mean that there’s a ton of action and it’s just one adventure after another.
There’s a full cast of characters and it just grows from book one to book two and the cast is rather loveable if I do say so myself.
I am sorry to say that though this book had some really enjoyable parts and very creative ideas that a lot of times I had a hard time with the writing style. It wasn’t difficult, so please don’t be scared off by that, but it wasn’t to my taste and that’s nothing against Nicholas Lovelock. I think that Geminicia is a great show of growth as an author, Discoucia was a good attempt but I think that its sequel is a great show of what’s to come. The books end in cliffhangers that are meant to go directly onto the next book so be prepared to wait for book 3 if you go ahead and jump in.
Lovelock has no problem breaking the fourth wall and I have to say it did have me chuckling quite a few times. There are lots of movie and literary references and so some jokes may go over the head if you’re out of the loop with some of them.
There’s a helpful appendix and map in book 2 that I wish would have been in the first book but better late than never if you ask me! So while this book wasn’t exactly to my cup of tea I still enjoyed it enough and instead of slapping a star rating I’m just telling you what I found good about it and letting you decide if this is the book for you!
I would say that if you’re a fan of steampunk and kind of operatic arc then you will want to check these books out. This is aimed at YA audiences, and I think that it is enjoyable even for those a little younger than that as well.
I’m including the information to the first book below and I want to say thank you to Faye and Authoright for letting me take part in the tour.
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
So when you read the words above, you’re intrigued but you’re still not totally sure what you’re getting into! I’m a big lover of theatre and not just musically inclined ones but I live and breathe plays when I get to them, they transport you and just utterly captivate you if they do their job right, so hearing this was a play first really got me to say ‘yes please!’
As for what this book is about, it’s about whatever you make it to be, it reminds me in its essence of Waiting for Godot where you could spend your time dissecting it or you could simply enjoy it.
Our main character who starts the journey with us is Elizabeth and she’s a woman who wants to be on her own, she’s realized her unhappiness in life and decides that something has to change. Her solution? Well, you’ll have to read and find out but just know it heavily involves numerous seventh trains.
Elizabeth is joined by a wonderful cast of characters, three others who are going through their own journeys, and all connected by a/the seventh train. It’s a great look into the human psyche and going in a little blind, I can only say that this book was the ultimate pleasant surprise in that it was such a journey to take on its own and the story so relatable that I was left with such a satisfying feeling as I finished it.
Not to mention the ending was brilliant, a hail to the start and I loved it.
If you’re looking to go on a train ride that will leave you looking at what it means to be human and what it means to feel lost and then found, I suggest reading this. Carreira’s writing is fluid and the transition from play to book seems effortless on her part, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this to anyone who is intrigued and/or loves the theatre. It was a joy to read this and I want to thank Anne Cater and Jackie Carreira for my copy and the chance to be in this blog tour!
Content Warning: Suicide mentioned, discussed, and described. It is not the point of the book but it does play heavy in the journey for some. It is not ideation, however.
adventurous
fast-paced
I really liked the author's creativity but the style wasn't for me, it felt very immature in its tone.
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
Thank you Handheld Press for sending me a review copy, in exchange I'm providing you all with an honest review.
This book was a nice change of pace to my other recent reads. I'm a huge history buff and I had done a lot of WWI and Russian Revolution reading for my nonfiction so to have a change of pace with WWII was great. Not to mention this is a 2 for 1 really, we get Inez Holden's novella Night Shift along with her wartime memoir, It Was Different At The Time.
Both had their own slice of history to bring to the table, they are both pieces though that are exploring the sort of people that exist in this time period. This isn't a look at WWII as an event as much as a time period in someone's life. Holden has a talent for describing people as an outsider that's a joy to read and the details she provides are unlike other accounts I've read. In her novella, she describes the work week, and this includes the machinery that many of us now forget were used to help so much in the war and that was manned quite a bit by women at that point in time. She also recalls things as 'mundane' as the buses, and bicycles people used to get around during air raids, and this goes for her memoirs as well.
This book was a nice change of pace to my other recent reads. I'm a huge history buff and I had done a lot of WWI and Russian Revolution reading for my nonfiction so to have a change of pace with WWII was great. Not to mention this is a 2 for 1 really, we get Inez Holden's novella Night Shift along with her wartime memoir, It Was Different At The Time.
Both had their own slice of history to bring to the table, they are both pieces though that are exploring the sort of people that exist in this time period. This isn't a look at WWII as an event as much as a time period in someone's life. Holden has a talent for describing people as an outsider that's a joy to read and the details she provides are unlike other accounts I've read. In her novella, she describes the work week, and this includes the machinery that many of us now forget were used to help so much in the war and that was manned quite a bit by women at that point in time. She also recalls things as 'mundane' as the buses, and bicycles people used to get around during air raids, and this goes for her memoirs as well.