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thelilbookwitch's reviews
495 reviews
Beetle & the Hollowbones by Aliza Layne
4.0
This sweet all ages fantastical riff on magical girls, shape shifting ghosts, and what it means to be a true friend is a must-read! (*insert shameless self-promotion here*Just like my reviews of other mostly YA material and the occasional romance novel on my blog)
This story is told incredibly well, with all the comic stylized vibes of Disney’s Halloweentown movies but actually for teenagers this time. Where Halloweentown is mostly light, Beetle & The Hollowbones has elements of darkness– like an amoral worm manager that… might eat people? There are no guarantees of a happy ending, but the hints along the way in references to anime and familial support provide enough comfort for even me, who has become very shy about reading new material in the wake of my mother’s passing earlier this year, to trust that everything will turn out okay.
I snorted with laughter a few times while reading, and I loved the world Layne created. It functions fairly well without delving into the nitty gritty mechanics of the magic system, or how some creatures have more/different magic than others. I had a lot of questions, but enough were answered that I was able to stick with the original intent of the story – saving Blob Ghost from their imprisonment inside the mall. I also really loved the way that Blob Ghost communicated with pictorial concepts rather than words, and was never misgendered by anyone.
I will definitely be rereading this for the sheer amount of background detail Layne managed to slip in, and that in my fast paced flipping I probably missed some things on my initial go around with the comic! I will come back to this post to see if I find out how old Beetle or Kat are – my instincts tell me teen, maybe late middle school early high school? Either way, they fit well with the audience for the book which is that sweet spot between middle grade and high school.
The art in this comic walks a fine balance between simple and stylized, with some minor inconsistencies in the character art, which is why I've knocked this down to 4 stars instead of 5.
In the beginning, Beetle doesn’t have ear piercings, and they appear sporadically throughout the comic despite being featured in the cover art. Kat’s facial structure, with some artistic liberties taken since she is quite literally an animated skeleton, is still hard to define just what kind of animated skeleton she is.
The flow of the piece worked really well for me until I hit the action sequences (another reason this isn't at a full 5 stars); a noted difficulty for my mind’s eye in other works, so I can’t fault Layne here like I try not to fault other artists. I will say I was able to follow hers a bit better than some of the super hero comics I’ve read, so this is probably truly just a “me” thing.
Other topics the comic addressed were (without spoilers): friendships, what happens when an old friend comes back to the new friends and their feelings, first romance, standing up for yourself. All very solid messages about acceptance and kindness, and sometimes standing up to friends as well when they’re doing something wrong. This book had a lot of positive messages in it, and I can’t wait to add it to my library’s collection! I hope more people pick up this sweet tale and fall in love with Beetle.
This story is told incredibly well, with all the comic stylized vibes of Disney’s Halloweentown movies but actually for teenagers this time. Where Halloweentown is mostly light, Beetle & The Hollowbones has elements of darkness– like an amoral worm manager that… might eat people? There are no guarantees of a happy ending, but the hints along the way in references to anime and familial support provide enough comfort for even me, who has become very shy about reading new material in the wake of my mother’s passing earlier this year, to trust that everything will turn out okay.
I snorted with laughter a few times while reading, and I loved the world Layne created. It functions fairly well without delving into the nitty gritty mechanics of the magic system, or how some creatures have more/different magic than others. I had a lot of questions, but enough were answered that I was able to stick with the original intent of the story – saving Blob Ghost from their imprisonment inside the mall. I also really loved the way that Blob Ghost communicated with pictorial concepts rather than words, and was never misgendered by anyone.
I will definitely be rereading this for the sheer amount of background detail Layne managed to slip in, and that in my fast paced flipping I probably missed some things on my initial go around with the comic! I will come back to this post to see if I find out how old Beetle or Kat are – my instincts tell me teen, maybe late middle school early high school? Either way, they fit well with the audience for the book which is that sweet spot between middle grade and high school.
The art in this comic walks a fine balance between simple and stylized, with some minor inconsistencies in the character art, which is why I've knocked this down to 4 stars instead of 5.
In the beginning, Beetle doesn’t have ear piercings, and they appear sporadically throughout the comic despite being featured in the cover art. Kat’s facial structure, with some artistic liberties taken since she is quite literally an animated skeleton, is still hard to define just what kind of animated skeleton she is.
The flow of the piece worked really well for me until I hit the action sequences (another reason this isn't at a full 5 stars); a noted difficulty for my mind’s eye in other works, so I can’t fault Layne here like I try not to fault other artists. I will say I was able to follow hers a bit better than some of the super hero comics I’ve read, so this is probably truly just a “me” thing.
Other topics the comic addressed were (without spoilers): friendships, what happens when an old friend comes back to the new friends and their feelings, first romance, standing up for yourself. All very solid messages about acceptance and kindness, and sometimes standing up to friends as well when they’re doing something wrong. This book had a lot of positive messages in it, and I can’t wait to add it to my library’s collection! I hope more people pick up this sweet tale and fall in love with Beetle.
How to Catch a Queen by Alyssa Cole
5.0
Sometimes, it feels like an author wrote a book *just for you*, and sometimes that book also contains some wonderfully steamy scenes too.
Alyssa Cole has ruined me for other romance novelists, and I am glad for it. Her characters, especially in How to Catch a Queen are relatable and fully fleshed out. She gives them agency, and feelings, and (yes) sometimes very good one-liners.
I think what I love the most about Cole's work, beyond just this one (though it is stuffed with goodies), is she always includes moments of kindness and some very solid advice. Not mention some amazingly quotable lines. Shanti is no exception, though her self written Field Guide to Queendom is a little heavy handed, but that's just Shanti.
The chemistry between her and Sanyu is wonderfully wrought and balanced by exchanging power dynamics as both come into their own.
Sanyu might be my favorite of the love leads Cole has written thus far in her contemporary royals series. His motivations and personality work so well together, and his anxiety is written accurately without getting in the way of the rest of the story -- but it is a part of him.
I don't think it's necessary to read her other series first, although this spin-off series does reference those characters, but I'll recommend starting with A Princess in Theory anyways!
Alyssa Cole has ruined me for other romance novelists, and I am glad for it. Her characters, especially in How to Catch a Queen are relatable and fully fleshed out. She gives them agency, and feelings, and (yes) sometimes very good one-liners.
I think what I love the most about Cole's work, beyond just this one (though it is stuffed with goodies), is she always includes moments of kindness and some very solid advice. Not mention some amazingly quotable lines. Shanti is no exception, though her self written Field Guide to Queendom is a little heavy handed, but that's just Shanti.
The chemistry between her and Sanyu is wonderfully wrought and balanced by exchanging power dynamics as both come into their own.
Sanyu might be my favorite of the love leads Cole has written thus far in her contemporary royals series. His motivations and personality work so well together, and his anxiety is written accurately without getting in the way of the rest of the story -- but it is a part of him.
I don't think it's necessary to read her other series first, although this spin-off series does reference those characters, but I'll recommend starting with A Princess in Theory anyways!
Mastering the Art of Japanese Home Cooking by Masaharu Morimoto
4.0
Full review to come when I test out the... impress set of recipes I pulled
Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert
4.0
Managed to get my first book read for the new year! Feel free to hop over to my blog to see my full review (and get other reading recommendations).
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“What did it mean, when a man you made deals with and sent slightly flirtatious emails to licked your ear and held your hand?”
Chloe Brown is a wonderful protagonist, she has a personality wholly her own. I am absolutely loving the current trend of non-shell characters in contemporary romance. I cannot speak to the authenticity of her as disabled character, but in my cursory knowledge of avoiding inspiration porn, Get a Life, Chloe Brown does not position Chloe to be extraordinary or exemplary due to her chronic illness(es). Her witty back and forth repartees with Red, her love interest, develop organically through some creative plot writing that doesn't feel terribly unrealistic.
The chemistry between Chloe and Red is wonderful, and they both have their baggage as characters too. There is a TW at the beginning of the book for describing an abusive relationship, and the fall out from that relationship is written very well. Chloe and Red, both people who are whole on their own, but better together, are also written relateably and compassionately. Their ability to own their baggage, and have to deal with it from time to time, is entirely plausible despite some dramatic scenarios making them face their stuff.
Red is, for a ginger, still a rather attractive love interest. Hibbert mentions a lot that he’s a big guy without going into specifics of height or if it’s his actual body type. Chloe is Black and Disabled, but I still didn’t get a firm idea of what she looked like in terms of body type either beyond the cover image. It was one of the few details it felt like Hibbert left out for both characters, now that I reflect on it, and I found it entirely allowable.
There really aren’t a lot of chonky romance protagonists, and the romance element was less about their bodies than them as falling in love as whole people. In my head, Chloe is now similarly shaped to me, and Red is big and buff like an artsy ginger barbarian. He didn’t get as much leeway with how his form was described, and while there are hints at musculature, the door was left open for how ripped one wanted to imagine Red.
Their romance had me laughing out loud, even crying once or twice. I found quotable lines that spoke to parts of me, and Hibbert absolutely delivered on an engaging and healthy romance with wonderfully steamy scenes sprinkled throughout deepening emotional attachment.
Chloe and Red falling in love didn’t feel forced in the slightest, and the dynamic Chloe has with her family was incredibly written. I am looking forward to starting the next book in the Brown Sisters series, Take a Hint, Dani Brown as it follows the openly bi/pan sister of the tight knit trio.
One of my favorite things that I hope continues in the next book is Hibbert’s absolutely unique and lush way with words; she truly uses them in a way that is both abstract and evocative without coming off as purple prose in any way. I found myself grinning as I read lines like “she dissolved like sugar in tea”– perfectly succinct and unique, and fitting for the scenes they are written in.
There was a vast catalog of color used in Get a Life, Chloe Brown, and I’m intrigued to find out if that was because Red was an artist, or if that’s actually Hibbert’s writing style. I look forward to seeing her develop more catalogs of imagery in her next works.
I hope more people pick up this wonderful series, as the second one just came out and there is a third on the way! It is happy, a little sappy, and certified steamy.
Happy 2021, and happy reading!
------
“What did it mean, when a man you made deals with and sent slightly flirtatious emails to licked your ear and held your hand?”
Chloe Brown is a wonderful protagonist, she has a personality wholly her own. I am absolutely loving the current trend of non-shell characters in contemporary romance. I cannot speak to the authenticity of her as disabled character, but in my cursory knowledge of avoiding inspiration porn, Get a Life, Chloe Brown does not position Chloe to be extraordinary or exemplary due to her chronic illness(es). Her witty back and forth repartees with Red, her love interest, develop organically through some creative plot writing that doesn't feel terribly unrealistic.
The chemistry between Chloe and Red is wonderful, and they both have their baggage as characters too. There is a TW at the beginning of the book for describing an abusive relationship, and the fall out from that relationship is written very well. Chloe and Red, both people who are whole on their own, but better together, are also written relateably and compassionately. Their ability to own their baggage, and have to deal with it from time to time, is entirely plausible despite some dramatic scenarios making them face their stuff.
Red is, for a ginger, still a rather attractive love interest. Hibbert mentions a lot that he’s a big guy without going into specifics of height or if it’s his actual body type. Chloe is Black and Disabled, but I still didn’t get a firm idea of what she looked like in terms of body type either beyond the cover image. It was one of the few details it felt like Hibbert left out for both characters, now that I reflect on it, and I found it entirely allowable.
There really aren’t a lot of chonky romance protagonists, and the romance element was less about their bodies than them as falling in love as whole people. In my head, Chloe is now similarly shaped to me, and Red is big and buff like an artsy ginger barbarian. He didn’t get as much leeway with how his form was described, and while there are hints at musculature, the door was left open for how ripped one wanted to imagine Red.
Their romance had me laughing out loud, even crying once or twice. I found quotable lines that spoke to parts of me, and Hibbert absolutely delivered on an engaging and healthy romance with wonderfully steamy scenes sprinkled throughout deepening emotional attachment.
Chloe and Red falling in love didn’t feel forced in the slightest, and the dynamic Chloe has with her family was incredibly written. I am looking forward to starting the next book in the Brown Sisters series, Take a Hint, Dani Brown as it follows the openly bi/pan sister of the tight knit trio.
One of my favorite things that I hope continues in the next book is Hibbert’s absolutely unique and lush way with words; she truly uses them in a way that is both abstract and evocative without coming off as purple prose in any way. I found myself grinning as I read lines like “she dissolved like sugar in tea”– perfectly succinct and unique, and fitting for the scenes they are written in.
There was a vast catalog of color used in Get a Life, Chloe Brown, and I’m intrigued to find out if that was because Red was an artist, or if that’s actually Hibbert’s writing style. I look forward to seeing her develop more catalogs of imagery in her next works.
I hope more people pick up this wonderful series, as the second one just came out and there is a third on the way! It is happy, a little sappy, and certified steamy.
Happy 2021, and happy reading!
The Only Black Girls in Town by Brandy Colbert
4.0
Check out my full review for some bonus Discussion Questions if you want to use this title for a middle school book club pick!
I wasn’t entirely certain what to expect with this novel, since it is covering a lot of content in a relatively short 355 pages. There’s a school life plot, and then the historical plot, but they are intertwined in a way that keeps the plot moving. I didn’t know if it was because it was a middle grade novel, but there wasn’t a lot of room for nuance, and Colbert covered a lot of topics relevant to the middle school experience.
Alberta is a surfer, and she is also the only Black kid in her grade. Growing up in a predominantly white tourist town in California has had its own unique challenges as well; including the casual racism of school bullies. Her experiences are often dismissed or downplayed by the other white characters, including her best friend, which is why when Edie moves in across the street, Alberta’s hope and joy of having a friend who understands what it’s like, is such a compelling emotion.
Alberta’s struggles are incredibly relatable too; as it’s not just the microaggressions she’s experiencing every day, but her friendship with Laramie is also going through growing pains as puberty and romantic pursuits enter their lives. Laramie functions well as a character, though I doubt any of my kids will readily say they saw themselves in her. She functions as an effective mirror for white readers, especially teens, who may have diverse friends, but be unaware of the perspective and privilege they bring with them.
Edie is one of my favorites — she is not trying to hide how much she misses her life in Brooklyn, and her relationships with family members are authentic, as is her sense of style well defined. As a goth, her appearance does not go unnoticed by the other students, especially since goth is predominantly pale white folks, and help bring up good thought exercises about stereotypes, sub cultures, and making room for more people to join them. She is also a lot more knowledgeable about the current terms used to describe experiences Alberta faces in the book.
While the book isn’t massively climactic, it was still pleasant to read and kept my attention. It was also, despite the seriousness of the topics touched on, still light reading. I do wonder how, without background knowledge of the topics mentioned in the book, someone might feel using it as an introduction to those concepts. Things like white passing, microaggressions, colorism, and the like are brought up to name things that occur in the book. I was initially inclined to label it as “telling” writing rather than “showing” writing, but upon further examination, I think Colbert does a good job of showing the experience then labeling it.
The one thing the book didn’t touch on, and where it could have, was Alberta’s dads. They are wholesome and wonderful, and the struggles they face with their ongoing coming out to new neighbors is subtle. I’ve seen it mentioned in episodes of Queer Eye and in other books (some for Teen Intersectionality) that being gay while Black is still less accepted due to cultural norms and inherited historical pain. (Links to articles in the full review) It was a stylistic choice, I think, for Colbert to tell the parents’ stories in the background — because they did have stuff going on, as most parents do! — without getting too off track from the current issues facing Alberta.
Alberta does mention some of the comments she gets from having two dads, but none of them enter into the overtly homophobic arena, and I’m not well versed enough to tell if they count as curiosity or microaggression.
Overall, this book met my expectations for a solid story with interesting, well-written characters. I thought it could have been a little more emotionally developed or deep, but there was a lot of ground Colbert had to cover in a set amount of pages it seemed. I hope that you pick this book up for the kid who feels lonely in your life, the privileged child learning about different world experiences, or for an adult looking for a light read on tougher topics.
I wasn’t entirely certain what to expect with this novel, since it is covering a lot of content in a relatively short 355 pages. There’s a school life plot, and then the historical plot, but they are intertwined in a way that keeps the plot moving. I didn’t know if it was because it was a middle grade novel, but there wasn’t a lot of room for nuance, and Colbert covered a lot of topics relevant to the middle school experience.
Alberta is a surfer, and she is also the only Black kid in her grade. Growing up in a predominantly white tourist town in California has had its own unique challenges as well; including the casual racism of school bullies. Her experiences are often dismissed or downplayed by the other white characters, including her best friend, which is why when Edie moves in across the street, Alberta’s hope and joy of having a friend who understands what it’s like, is such a compelling emotion.
Alberta’s struggles are incredibly relatable too; as it’s not just the microaggressions she’s experiencing every day, but her friendship with Laramie is also going through growing pains as puberty and romantic pursuits enter their lives. Laramie functions well as a character, though I doubt any of my kids will readily say they saw themselves in her. She functions as an effective mirror for white readers, especially teens, who may have diverse friends, but be unaware of the perspective and privilege they bring with them.
Edie is one of my favorites — she is not trying to hide how much she misses her life in Brooklyn, and her relationships with family members are authentic, as is her sense of style well defined. As a goth, her appearance does not go unnoticed by the other students, especially since goth is predominantly pale white folks, and help bring up good thought exercises about stereotypes, sub cultures, and making room for more people to join them. She is also a lot more knowledgeable about the current terms used to describe experiences Alberta faces in the book.
While the book isn’t massively climactic, it was still pleasant to read and kept my attention. It was also, despite the seriousness of the topics touched on, still light reading. I do wonder how, without background knowledge of the topics mentioned in the book, someone might feel using it as an introduction to those concepts. Things like white passing, microaggressions, colorism, and the like are brought up to name things that occur in the book. I was initially inclined to label it as “telling” writing rather than “showing” writing, but upon further examination, I think Colbert does a good job of showing the experience then labeling it.
The one thing the book didn’t touch on, and where it could have, was Alberta’s dads. They are wholesome and wonderful, and the struggles they face with their ongoing coming out to new neighbors is subtle. I’ve seen it mentioned in episodes of Queer Eye and in other books (some for Teen Intersectionality) that being gay while Black is still less accepted due to cultural norms and inherited historical pain. (Links to articles in the full review) It was a stylistic choice, I think, for Colbert to tell the parents’ stories in the background — because they did have stuff going on, as most parents do! — without getting too off track from the current issues facing Alberta.
Alberta does mention some of the comments she gets from having two dads, but none of them enter into the overtly homophobic arena, and I’m not well versed enough to tell if they count as curiosity or microaggression.
Overall, this book met my expectations for a solid story with interesting, well-written characters. I thought it could have been a little more emotionally developed or deep, but there was a lot of ground Colbert had to cover in a set amount of pages it seemed. I hope that you pick this book up for the kid who feels lonely in your life, the privileged child learning about different world experiences, or for an adult looking for a light read on tougher topics.
Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson
3.0
Full review over on [my blog]
True rating: 3.5 stars
I am going to blaspheme myself from a whole host of readers I think when I say that Mistborn: The Final Empire was just okay. I didn’t hate it, I didn’t love it, but I strongly liked it. My main reason for my tepid response to it was that for a book supposedly about a heist, it had none of the pacing required, which made certain reveals at the end of the book predictable.
I was hoping for it to grip me like Nevernight, and while I kept turning pages, there wasn’t my usual fevered compulsion like I experience when reading something. I don’t particularly want to scream about it either; because for such a long book (clocking in at more than 650 pages for the paperback I read), I truly don’t feel like a lot happened that couldn’t have been condensed. I think it’s one of the things that, for adult fantasy, I will likely have a hard time looking past — the time commitment to read it.
Never the less, I do want to emphasize, that I did enjoy this first title in the Mistborn series! It hovered between “I can turn my brain off for this book” and “there’s a mystery afoot and I must solve it!” without committing wholeheartedly to either one.
The dialogue saved this book for me during moments where my eyes might have glazed over from the paragraphs of (admittedly well written) imagery. I found most of the characters likeable, even loveable. Sazed in particular. He reminded me of Alfred a la Batman, with a little bit of Black Butler’s Sebastien. His strict formality and adherence to protocol often offered levity to stark situations, and was a frequent source of relief and mirth for me.
Vin, his charge, is a well written protagonist, with a traumatic past that manifests perfectly over the course of her character’s arc. I particularly enjoyed Sanderson’s use of her as an isekai of sorts since she is completely unversed in the magic of the world, as her whole life has been survival up until that point. She is plucked from her life as a con artist’s good luck charm, and introduced to the world of Allomancy.
Allomancy, as well as feruchemy, are two of the magic systems presented in this world. This first novel does an excellent job of laying the groundwork down for them, especially with Vin’s “outsider” character learning about them as a stand in for the reader. At first glance, they seem to make sense, though I question their balance. The material cost and bodily risks of performing such kinds of magic, especially allomancy, isn’t experienced first hand by Vin or the other characters; merely discussed. It is something I hope to see expanded upon in the next novel, because yes, I will be reading The Well of Ascension.
One of the reasons, despite this being an “okay” fanatasy novel in terms of pacing, I am going on to read the next book in the series, is I my curiosity has been piqued. It’s the kind of book you have to sit on and mull over; and I have many questions that, as my friend has said “RAFO” — read and find out, when it comes to Sanderson. The characters are unique and compelling, and I hope we get to see more of Vin and Sazed in the next novel.
The one character I haven’t spoken about, despite being a noteable PoV in the book, is Kelsier. Mainly because the best ways to describe him might give things away for anyone still on the fence about him. His hatred for the Lord Ruler, a villain that didn’t get the payoff I was hoping for, and The Final Empire truly defines him and all of his motivations. I am sure to have many conversations with fellow readers about him; but I feel comfortable stating he may be a protagonist/mentor of sorts, but he is not a hero.
Overall, I think once I read more of his work, I will likely find the magic that seems to have enraptured so many of his readers. For now, his craft has enticed me enough to continue with the series… Reviewing this book has been interesting, since I’d much rather talk and theorize about it I realize.
True rating: 3.5 stars
I am going to blaspheme myself from a whole host of readers I think when I say that Mistborn: The Final Empire was just okay. I didn’t hate it, I didn’t love it, but I strongly liked it. My main reason for my tepid response to it was that for a book supposedly about a heist, it had none of the pacing required, which made certain reveals at the end of the book predictable.
I was hoping for it to grip me like Nevernight, and while I kept turning pages, there wasn’t my usual fevered compulsion like I experience when reading something. I don’t particularly want to scream about it either; because for such a long book (clocking in at more than 650 pages for the paperback I read), I truly don’t feel like a lot happened that couldn’t have been condensed. I think it’s one of the things that, for adult fantasy, I will likely have a hard time looking past — the time commitment to read it.
Never the less, I do want to emphasize, that I did enjoy this first title in the Mistborn series! It hovered between “I can turn my brain off for this book” and “there’s a mystery afoot and I must solve it!” without committing wholeheartedly to either one.
The dialogue saved this book for me during moments where my eyes might have glazed over from the paragraphs of (admittedly well written) imagery. I found most of the characters likeable, even loveable. Sazed in particular. He reminded me of Alfred a la Batman, with a little bit of Black Butler’s Sebastien. His strict formality and adherence to protocol often offered levity to stark situations, and was a frequent source of relief and mirth for me.
Vin, his charge, is a well written protagonist, with a traumatic past that manifests perfectly over the course of her character’s arc. I particularly enjoyed Sanderson’s use of her as an isekai of sorts since she is completely unversed in the magic of the world, as her whole life has been survival up until that point. She is plucked from her life as a con artist’s good luck charm, and introduced to the world of Allomancy.
Allomancy, as well as feruchemy, are two of the magic systems presented in this world. This first novel does an excellent job of laying the groundwork down for them, especially with Vin’s “outsider” character learning about them as a stand in for the reader. At first glance, they seem to make sense, though I question their balance. The material cost and bodily risks of performing such kinds of magic, especially allomancy, isn’t experienced first hand by Vin or the other characters; merely discussed. It is something I hope to see expanded upon in the next novel, because yes, I will be reading The Well of Ascension.
One of the reasons, despite this being an “okay” fanatasy novel in terms of pacing, I am going on to read the next book in the series, is I my curiosity has been piqued. It’s the kind of book you have to sit on and mull over; and I have many questions that, as my friend has said “RAFO” — read and find out, when it comes to Sanderson. The characters are unique and compelling, and I hope we get to see more of Vin and Sazed in the next novel.
The one character I haven’t spoken about, despite being a noteable PoV in the book, is Kelsier. Mainly because the best ways to describe him might give things away for anyone still on the fence about him. His hatred for the Lord Ruler, a villain that didn’t get the payoff I was hoping for, and The Final Empire truly defines him and all of his motivations. I am sure to have many conversations with fellow readers about him; but I feel comfortable stating he may be a protagonist/mentor of sorts, but he is not a hero.
Overall, I think once I read more of his work, I will likely find the magic that seems to have enraptured so many of his readers. For now, his craft has enticed me enough to continue with the series… Reviewing this book has been interesting, since I’d much rather talk and theorize about it I realize.
Dragon Actually by G.A. Aiken
2.0
The only reason it's not lower stars, is I occasionally laughed thanks to some of the dialogue. To see reviews of books I actually liked, you can check out [my blog].
I'm trying to expand my repertoire of romance novels into the realm of fantasy. The premise made me giggle a little in an expectant way, but the delivery was... poor. So poor.
I will actually include a TW here too for questionable consent between characters, and unethical kink practice as well. I didn't find it particularly triggering for me, but it was enough to take the enjoyment out of the scenes for me, and someone more sensitive than I might need it.
The blurb is honestly better than the book, and I wish I could take back the time I spent reading it. I knew I wasn't signing on for literature, but some sort of literary expectations have to be met for me to read.
It started off well, in all honesty. I was entertained, and didn't think I'd want much else beyond the steamy scenes I was hoping for... but then I discovered that's all I was pretty much getting after Chapter 4.
The premise is where the development stopped. There was little plot or substantial character development because about 70% of the text after chapter 4 is dedicated to the two characters going at it like rabbits. The previously mentioned trigger warnings didn't start applying until they began using sex as a means of... ignoring communication needs??
spoiler here to function also as a TW for consent talk
In some scenes, he ties her up without consent to coerce forgiveness out of her. Because, ah yes, non-consensual bondage is definitely the way to win back your lover for whatever reason they might be upset with you. Additionally, the amount of times she says "no" but secretly means "yes" makes me think the reason this author uses initials is because maybe G.A. Aiken is actually a dude. (I looked at the author bio on Goodreads and was shocked to find out that no, not only is this author a woman, but she's also from Long Island, like me... For shame, madam!)
Once I started picking up on the cringe elements of dubious consent, and the sex taking up more time than the actual plot... I started checking out which wasn't hard to do because the writing was also egregiously bad.
I've mentioned before my love of all things third person omniscient; and while this book employs that, I didn't know just how spoiled I was when reading other authors. Aiken switches between perspectives without any segue-- most authors use chapters, or an expository sentence, Aiken just barrels into it with little warning yanking you away from one scene into another happening concurrently somewhere else. It gave the book a very piecemeal feeling to it, like she'd just written a whole host of sex scenes and was trying to put them together with the barest of premises.
The "bonus" content (which comprised 40% of the book), hence why I didn't realize I had finished it until it was over and I was left unhappily scratching my head, just felt like a rehashing of the same "plot" with different characters, and was where I promptly put the book down.
I'm trying to expand my repertoire of romance novels into the realm of fantasy. The premise made me giggle a little in an expectant way, but the delivery was... poor. So poor.
I will actually include a TW here too for questionable consent between characters, and unethical kink practice as well. I didn't find it particularly triggering for me, but it was enough to take the enjoyment out of the scenes for me, and someone more sensitive than I might need it.
The blurb is honestly better than the book, and I wish I could take back the time I spent reading it. I knew I wasn't signing on for literature, but some sort of literary expectations have to be met for me to read.
It started off well, in all honesty. I was entertained, and didn't think I'd want much else beyond the steamy scenes I was hoping for... but then I discovered that's all I was pretty much getting after Chapter 4.
The premise is where the development stopped. There was little plot or substantial character development because about 70% of the text after chapter 4 is dedicated to the two characters going at it like rabbits. The previously mentioned trigger warnings didn't start applying until they began using sex as a means of... ignoring communication needs??
spoiler here to function also as a TW for consent talk
Spoiler
In some scenes, he ties her up without consent to coerce forgiveness out of her. Because, ah yes, non-consensual bondage is definitely the way to win back your lover for whatever reason they might be upset with you. Additionally, the amount of times she says "no" but secretly means "yes" makes me think the reason this author uses initials is because maybe G.A. Aiken is actually a dude. (I looked at the author bio on Goodreads and was shocked to find out that no, not only is this author a woman, but she's also from Long Island, like me... For shame, madam!)
Once I started picking up on the cringe elements of dubious consent, and the sex taking up more time than the actual plot... I started checking out which wasn't hard to do because the writing was also egregiously bad.
I've mentioned before my love of all things third person omniscient; and while this book employs that, I didn't know just how spoiled I was when reading other authors. Aiken switches between perspectives without any segue-- most authors use chapters, or an expository sentence, Aiken just barrels into it with little warning yanking you away from one scene into another happening concurrently somewhere else. It gave the book a very piecemeal feeling to it, like she'd just written a whole host of sex scenes and was trying to put them together with the barest of premises.
The "bonus" content (which comprised 40% of the book), hence why I didn't realize I had finished it until it was over and I was left unhappily scratching my head, just felt like a rehashing of the same "plot" with different characters, and was where I promptly put the book down.
Recipe for Persuasion by Sonali Dev
2.0
TW: suicide mention (which is more than the book did!!)
Recipe for Persuasion was another hopeful pick for me for January, meant to be a spin on Austen's Persuasion... I didn't make it very far since it didn't pass my lunch hour rule. However, it wasn't poorly written like this month's other DNF's... it just didn't hold my attention.
The blurb had me sold (as they often do!) and I think if Dev hadn't spent so long trying to develop Ashna's anxiety and desperation, I might have continued to read this book. Instead she opted to go the route of including a rather painful and out of nowhere reference to a parental suicide used as a means of establishing trauma and backstory.
Rico is... okay? I didn't get a lot of time getting to know him, or his personality or problems. The blurb promised some kind of rekindled romance, and I wish I had seen a bit more humor in the beginning, otherwise I might have continued into the murky waters of whatever emotional nonsense was sure to happen when the two former lovers reconnected.
This book failed for me with a poor beginning, but it's not entirely terrible, and I might consider trying to read a little further if I'm really stuck trying to find something to read this year...
You can check out [my blog] for more reviews!
Recipe for Persuasion was another hopeful pick for me for January, meant to be a spin on Austen's Persuasion... I didn't make it very far since it didn't pass my lunch hour rule. However, it wasn't poorly written like this month's other DNF's... it just didn't hold my attention.
The blurb had me sold (as they often do!) and I think if Dev hadn't spent so long trying to develop Ashna's anxiety and desperation, I might have continued to read this book. Instead she opted to go the route of including a rather painful and out of nowhere reference to a parental suicide used as a means of establishing trauma and backstory.
Rico is... okay? I didn't get a lot of time getting to know him, or his personality or problems. The blurb promised some kind of rekindled romance, and I wish I had seen a bit more humor in the beginning, otherwise I might have continued into the murky waters of whatever emotional nonsense was sure to happen when the two former lovers reconnected.
This book failed for me with a poor beginning, but it's not entirely terrible, and I might consider trying to read a little further if I'm really stuck trying to find something to read this year...
You can check out [my blog] for more reviews!
The Marriage Game by Sara Desai
1.0
The cover looked like the other books I've enjoyed with that style of illustration. Usually meaning I can expect something light hearted and romantic.
No.
What I got was an incredibly flimsy premise with inconsistent characters, and love interests that were irredeemable.
The blurb was better than the book. And I took the time to pick apart just everything I found wrong in the less than 2 chapters it took me to declare "DNF!"
I wanted to like this book, but from straight out of the gate, I was poking holes in the incredibly flimsy reason Layla finds herself sent home. It makes me cringe and want to do better research for my own novel. And, because it's within the first chapter, I really don't count it as spoilers. Strap in.
"But after the emotional devastation of walking in on her social media star boyfriend, Jonas Jameson, as he snorted the last of her savings off of two naked models, Layla had hoped for something more than being put to work."
The Marriage Game, ch 1. emphasis mine
Very important word choice there "her" money. Not his. Not theirs. Hers. And you know what I say to that? GIRL TAKE HIS ASS TO COURT. You weren't married, and it was your savings he was snorting?? You have so many grounds to take him to court. Someone from Lawyer land, tell me I'm right. Later, Desai also walks back that he's not to much of a star, but trying to be an influencer.
Next!
“They remind me of you and Dev.” Her mother joined her beside the booth and lifted a lock of Layla’s hair, studying the bright streaks. “What is this blue?”
The Marriage Game, ch 1
Ah yes, because we can't know she's edgy and Not Like Other Girls (because trust me, her diatribes against hair, make up, and just general effort into her appearance come right after this) unless she has colored streaks in her hair. It's just lazy writing.
Sigh...
Of course, there were limits to what she could share. Her parents didn’t know she’d been living with Jonas, and they most certainly would never find out that she’d lost her job, her apartment, and her pride after the “Blue Fury” YouTube video of her tossing Jonas’s stuff over their balcony in a fit of rage had gone viral.
The Marriage Game, ch 1
First, you would think, in a family that's as tight knit and in each other's business as hers, with children/adults of the age that they'd be on YouTube to see viral videos.... someone might have shown her parents. She also walks back her claims of living with Jonas a paragraph or two later when we learn that he had just slunked into her already shared apartment and squatted after getting kicked out of his own place.
Second, how does she think she's going to get away with not telling her parents she had lost her job and home? She has 0 plans or lies to tell them to cover herself, so why try to have her say she won't tell them regardless.
Moving right along...
“Where is Dad?” Layla wasn’t interested in hearing about marriage, arranged or otherwise, when it was clear she didn’t have what it took to sustain a relationship. No wonder guys always thought of her as a pal. She was everybody’s wingwoman and nobody’s prize
The Marriage Game, ch 1
Because apparently reverse-friendzoning is a thing. My eyes rolled involuntarily here. The simultaneously shallow and insipidness of Layla was really getting to me.
But I kept trying!
“We aren’t old. We don’t need help. She had a good job. Every week I time her on the Face and she doesn’t say anything is bad at work.”
The Marriage Game, ch 1
This is her mother's dialog. A woman, who not a few paragraphs ago used the phrase "itinerant Internet celebrities" not but a few paragraphs prior to this suddenly doesn't know how to say FaceTime? Old people being bad with technology just, again, feels like lazy writing to me, and disingenous to say the least when this woman is clearly educated and knows how to speak. To have her cave because "ooooh technology" does her a clear disservice.
And then there's Sam.
I was too busy hating him to find anything redeemable.
He is the CEO of a company that specializes in corporate downsizing, aka they come in and make the layoff recommendations. And Desai does little to humanize him, or show any type of internal conflict about the work he does, and spends more time in the chapter as he's firing people trying to sort-of-but-not-really fend off the advances of the "horny HR woman" who apparently gets off to telling people they're out of a job. There's unlikable male leads, and then there's Sam.
His supposed redeeming quality is he's somehow settling for driving a BMW instead of a fancier sports car because he's secretly funding his family/sister due to her need of a wheelchair in an as of yet unnamed accident he feels responsible for. Ah yes. Let me swoon into your moneybags, Sam. Because let's face it, the guy is still loaded for the terrible work he does.
Overall, did not like, do not recommend. If you want to see stuff I have enjoyed, check out my blog.
No.
What I got was an incredibly flimsy premise with inconsistent characters, and love interests that were irredeemable.
The blurb was better than the book. And I took the time to pick apart just everything I found wrong in the less than 2 chapters it took me to declare "DNF!"
I wanted to like this book, but from straight out of the gate, I was poking holes in the incredibly flimsy reason Layla finds herself sent home. It makes me cringe and want to do better research for my own novel. And, because it's within the first chapter, I really don't count it as spoilers. Strap in.
"But after the emotional devastation of walking in on her social media star boyfriend, Jonas Jameson, as he snorted the last of her savings off of two naked models, Layla had hoped for something more than being put to work."
The Marriage Game, ch 1. emphasis mine
Very important word choice there "her" money. Not his. Not theirs. Hers. And you know what I say to that? GIRL TAKE HIS ASS TO COURT. You weren't married, and it was your savings he was snorting?? You have so many grounds to take him to court. Someone from Lawyer land, tell me I'm right. Later, Desai also walks back that he's not to much of a star, but trying to be an influencer.
Next!
“They remind me of you and Dev.” Her mother joined her beside the booth and lifted a lock of Layla’s hair, studying the bright streaks. “What is this blue?”
The Marriage Game, ch 1
Ah yes, because we can't know she's edgy and Not Like Other Girls (because trust me, her diatribes against hair, make up, and just general effort into her appearance come right after this) unless she has colored streaks in her hair. It's just lazy writing.
Sigh...
Of course, there were limits to what she could share. Her parents didn’t know she’d been living with Jonas, and they most certainly would never find out that she’d lost her job, her apartment, and her pride after the “Blue Fury” YouTube video of her tossing Jonas’s stuff over their balcony in a fit of rage had gone viral.
The Marriage Game, ch 1
First, you would think, in a family that's as tight knit and in each other's business as hers, with children/adults of the age that they'd be on YouTube to see viral videos.... someone might have shown her parents. She also walks back her claims of living with Jonas a paragraph or two later when we learn that he had just slunked into her already shared apartment and squatted after getting kicked out of his own place.
Second, how does she think she's going to get away with not telling her parents she had lost her job and home? She has 0 plans or lies to tell them to cover herself, so why try to have her say she won't tell them regardless.
Moving right along...
“Where is Dad?” Layla wasn’t interested in hearing about marriage, arranged or otherwise, when it was clear she didn’t have what it took to sustain a relationship. No wonder guys always thought of her as a pal. She was everybody’s wingwoman and nobody’s prize
The Marriage Game, ch 1
Because apparently reverse-friendzoning is a thing. My eyes rolled involuntarily here. The simultaneously shallow and insipidness of Layla was really getting to me.
But I kept trying!
“We aren’t old. We don’t need help. She had a good job. Every week I time her on the Face and she doesn’t say anything is bad at work.”
The Marriage Game, ch 1
This is her mother's dialog. A woman, who not a few paragraphs ago used the phrase "itinerant Internet celebrities" not but a few paragraphs prior to this suddenly doesn't know how to say FaceTime? Old people being bad with technology just, again, feels like lazy writing to me, and disingenous to say the least when this woman is clearly educated and knows how to speak. To have her cave because "ooooh technology" does her a clear disservice.
And then there's Sam.
I was too busy hating him to find anything redeemable.
He is the CEO of a company that specializes in corporate downsizing, aka they come in and make the layoff recommendations. And Desai does little to humanize him, or show any type of internal conflict about the work he does, and spends more time in the chapter as he's firing people trying to sort-of-but-not-really fend off the advances of the "horny HR woman" who apparently gets off to telling people they're out of a job. There's unlikable male leads, and then there's Sam.
His supposed redeeming quality is he's somehow settling for driving a BMW instead of a fancier sports car because he's secretly funding his family/sister due to her need of a wheelchair in an as of yet unnamed accident he feels responsible for. Ah yes. Let me swoon into your moneybags, Sam. Because let's face it, the guy is still loaded for the terrible work he does.
Overall, did not like, do not recommend. If you want to see stuff I have enjoyed, check out my blog.