The struggle I have with writing my review is ... where the hell is the story going, and what's the importance? I do get the point of it but it still felt like it lacked depth and meaning somehow..? In the end, it felt like a waste, which was disappointing because I enjoyed the unsettling characters and setting of the story. I oddly enjoyed reading it until I got to the end and realized that was.. it...

Content Warnings

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

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adventurous slow-paced

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

2.5

I really want to love this series because a lot of people are enjoying it and because my husband purchased the hardcover boxed set as a gift but I just cannot get into it. I thought it would be more plot or fantasy-world driven but it seems more focused on romance and relationships. The problem is that the character development is kind of weak too. Also, it is heavily advertised as a spicy or smutty book. People are calling this "New Adult" but it feels like YA but with more sex in it. I have outgrown YA books. They're just not for me so I think that is another reason why this series has been off-putting. It is taking me a long time to push through each book and I really just want to hurry up and finish so I can read a different book. I know I could just put it down but I feel like I HAVE to finish it.

The Dangers of Smoking in Bed by Mariana Enríquez

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I was expecting more from this collection of short stories because it seemed that The Dangers of Smoking in Bed had been really hyped up. The stories were intriguing but most of the endings seemed to fall flat. Overall, I think it is still worth the read especially if you like macabre stories or if you want something that you can pick up and put down without feeling the need to fully complete it soon.
I would like to add that most of the stories were really good but there was a couple that just missed the mark for me.

Earthlings by Sayaka Murata

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challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Unexpectedly chaotic, absurd, gruesome, and tragic. I was not expecting all of these things together in this book. I think this one will stay with me for a while so I give it 5 stars. I think this quote sums most of the book well, "What I'm really scared of is believing that the words society makes me speak are my own. You're different. That's how I know you're from another planet." I really like how the book comes full circle. There are a lot of trigger warnings and the book can be really dark sometimes.

Content Warnings

A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas

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slow-paced

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

1.5

This book has a lot of potential but is way too long and really slow. The action scenes in the book are written poorly as well. I feel like most people are not reading the books for that though but are reading it for the romance or sex scenes because it is being marketed as a "spicy book". The book was purchased for me and I only knew it was a fantasy novel so I didn't know any of this going into it. I would prefer it to have less romance and more action or fantasy world development.

Review for previous book in series:
I really want to love this series because a lot of people are enjoying it and because my husband purchased the hardcover boxed set as a gift but I just cannot get into it. I thought it would be more plot or fantasy-world driven but it seems more focused on romance and relationships. The problem is that the character development is kind of weak too. Also, it is heavily advertised as a spicy or smutty book. People are calling this "New Adult" but it feels like YA but with more sex in it. I have outgrown YA books. They're just not for me so I think that is another reason why this series has been off-putting. It is taking me a long time to push through each book and I really just want to hurry up and finish so I can read a different book. I know I could just put it down but I feel like I HAVE to finish it.

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theperksofbeingabooklover's reviews 11 reviews

theperksofbeingabooklover's reviews
11 reviews